- Dear Family and Friends,
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- We are struck with feelings of near hysteria just coping
with everyday situations almost all the time now. The past fortnight has
seen a dramatic plunge in the value of our money and massive price increases
of everything from food to fuel and everything in between. Top-up bills
for school fees arrived barely half way into the term, medical aid costs
have risen five fold and as the month end bills and service accounts come
in, most people have no idea how they are going to cope over the next thirty
days.
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- The cost of medicines are rising at least twice a week
now and recently a friend buying a drug to control epilepsy paid 460 thousand
dollars one day and 490 thousand dollars for the same drug, same quantity,
same pharmacy on the next day. Many companies that can, have started giving
their employees food supplies every month just to make sure their workers
literally have enough energy to do their work. Most people in middle management
and white collar jobs cannot survive more than five days of a month before
their entire wage is depleted. The burden is gruelling.
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- Life in Zimbabwe has become unbearably tough for all
but a very small elite and the government have been as good as ignoring
the deteriorating economic situation for some months. This week they suddenly
woke up and the Minister of Industry announced that prices had to be slashed
by up to two thirds with immediate effect. The price cuts mean that goods
are now being sold for less than they were purchased for and that once
the stocks are sold, they will not be able to be replaced. It is a recipe
for massive food shortages and already the black marketeers are rubbing
their hands with glee. On Friday evening, emerging from a 15 hour electricity
cut, the first report on the propaganda news was the Police announcing
that they were about to start arresting wholesalers, retailers and businessmen
who had not slashed their prices.
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- To add to the air of uncertainty , Mr Mugabe also spoke
out about price increases and profiteering this week. He chose a State
Funeral as his platform and was visibly angry: "We will SEIZE, SEIZE
the mines," he said coldly, his face shining with sweat, " we
will nationalize them. And companies, we will take them all over."
The funeral at the National Heroes Acre, appeared to be attended largely
by army personnel, and the venue was decorated with the usual political
banners, one of which read: 'Mugabe Is Right.'
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- Those people who can, continue to pour out of the country,
including teachers and this week came the shocking news that in one province
48 schools had recorded a zero % pass rate in recent public examinations.
It is a damning admission for any country to have to make and utterly tragic
that it is politics of the present that is making a millstone that will
hang around Zimbabwe's neck for the next thirty or more years.
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- Until next week, thanks for reading,
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- love cathy.
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- Copyright cathy buckle 30 June 2007 www.cathybuckle.com
My books: "African Tears" and "Beyond Tears" are available
from: orders@africabookcentre.com
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