Finance Minister’s Money Chase in Bulawayo Breaks the Internet: Prof Mthuli Ncube’s Hilarious Pursuit of Money Changers Goes Viral
Finance Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube has cracked social media users after he went on an expedition in Bulawayo yesterday chasing money changers.
The ZWL Continues Losing Value
Zimbabwe’s local currency has been on a freefall against the United States dollar, breaching the ZWL3000 mark in the past few days for electronic bank transfers.
As of 25 May 2023, the ZWL officially traded at 1 888 against the US dollar. When the year started, US$1 was equivalent to ZWL$671 on the auction system. The parallel exchange rate has always been higher than the official rate.
Prof Mthuli Ncube Chases Money Changers
Recently, Prof Mthuli Ncube promised to rein in errant businesses working in cahoots with foreign currency traders and retailers who unjustifiably raise the prices of essential goods.
Yesterday, Prof Ncube crept in on Bulawayo forex traders, known as Osiphatheleni, at Tredgold in the central business district.
When the illegal forex traders saw the Finance Minister, most took to their heels and ran away, while a few remained.
Those who stayed behind told Prof Ncube that the blame should be on retailers who kept hiking prices.
After chasing away the money changers, who also have POS machines in the streets, Prof Mthuli Ncube told The Sunday News:
“I went to the so-called World Bank, the people who sell currency on the streets in Bulawayo, and I told them what they do is unjustifiable. Selling currency in the street, freely without shame, where do they get this money from? They have brand new notes, and this is unacceptable.
“I saw swipe machines on the street, and these people are running businesses from their cars, changing currency. Clearly, they are working with organised businesses, and this is why we have to come down hard not only on these currency traders but also on organised businesses who are doing the wrong things.”
The finance minister also stormed fast food outlets which have been demanding USD from customers by claiming that their POS machines are not working.
After Prof Ncube further probed, the machines’ network started working.
