Business / Local
Plastic money puts airtime vendors out of business
04 May 2017 at 21:12hrs | Views
Thousands of Airtime vendors are crying foul as the cashless society is slowly coming into existence in Zimbabwe.
Vendors who spoke to Bulawayo24.com in Harare and Bulawayo respectively bemoaned plastic money, lamenting that it is killing their business.
"Many people are buying their airtime via plastic money methods like Ecocash bank accounts and purchase in supermarkets through the swiping machine so our business is very low now," said Fidelis Mutombo from Market Square Harare.
Another Bulawayo vendor said they were now resorting to other vending products as airtime is no longer conducive.
"Airtime business is no longer viable as plastic money is now in control, but for us to survive we have accommodated many products like sweets biscuits and frozen staff to add to the flopping business," said the source.
In December last year, Government gave mobile operators a six-month ultimatum to phase out airtime scratch cards and adopt electronic airtime recharging options.
Though the ultimatum is long over due, if it comes into existence many airtime vendors will be left jobless.
Vendors who spoke to Bulawayo24.com in Harare and Bulawayo respectively bemoaned plastic money, lamenting that it is killing their business.
"Many people are buying their airtime via plastic money methods like Ecocash bank accounts and purchase in supermarkets through the swiping machine so our business is very low now," said Fidelis Mutombo from Market Square Harare.
Another Bulawayo vendor said they were now resorting to other vending products as airtime is no longer conducive.
"Airtime business is no longer viable as plastic money is now in control, but for us to survive we have accommodated many products like sweets biscuits and frozen staff to add to the flopping business," said the source.
In December last year, Government gave mobile operators a six-month ultimatum to phase out airtime scratch cards and adopt electronic airtime recharging options.
Though the ultimatum is long over due, if it comes into existence many airtime vendors will be left jobless.
Source - Byo24News
