Developments reminiscent of the hyperinflation crisis that brought about the collapse of Zimbabwe’s economy and killed off the country’s own dollar denomination are once more playing out.
This morning it emerged that the Apex Council, a collective representing about 300 000 civil servants, had given the government of Emmerson Mnangagwa notice of its intention not to work.
Although not officially called a strike, the council said its members had no incentive to report for duty as the salaries civil servants earned were no match for hyperinflation.
Currently the rate of inflation sits at 300% and is fast spiking to the point ten years ago when the Zim dollar’s value dropped through the floor and a trillion dollar note could barely buy a loaf of bread.
As for basic commodities like bread – the staple has become scarce in a country where the recently resurrected local dollar, which is not recognised anywhere else except in Zimbabwe, is in free-fall against the Greenback.
USD/ZD exchange rate volatility has played havoc with the price of basic consumables – when they are available – and the price of fuel keeps going up.
In the meantime doctors led the way in voicing dissent when they simply started failing to report for duty en masse at the beginning of September.
Hospitals have also run out of medicine and the Apex Council has made it clear that the remedies proposed by Mnangagwa’s government will not alleviate the growing poverty among the gainfully employed.
A council statement said: “Civil servants are severely incapacitated and unless the situation is adequately addressed, it will not be able to render their services as normally and regularly as usual”.
Apex did not say when it intended to proceed with its intended shutdown.
Mnangagwa said he was being held over a barrel with an economy in a death spiral.
But accusations are mounting that the president, who has gained notoriety for lavish foreign travel by way of privately hired jet streamers, is barely managing to shuffle deck chairs on the Titanic.