MASVINGO — Unprecedented unemployment levels and grinding poverty stalking Zimbabwe’s urban poor families has left many contemplating migrating to the rural areas where life is generally cheaper, a pressure group has said.
By Tatenda Chitagu
Findings from a Basic Needs Basket (BNB) assessment done by the Poverty Reduction Forum Trust (PRFT) in low income families from six cities showed that residents were caught between unemployment and the liquidity crisis which left them without disposable income.
PRFT programs coordinator Tafara Chiremba said life in city was becoming unbearable that many people indicated they would prefer relocating to the rural areas, the opposite of what was the norm where rural-urban migration spawned by job hunting increased pressure on social amenities in cities.
“Because of the deteriorating economy, poverty has increased in urban areas than ever. Previously, people would come to the city looking for ‘greener pastures’, but now it’s a different situation altogether because of urban hardships. Few can now get all the basic needs in their groceries monthly,” Chiremba said during Masvingo’s BNB assessment on Saturday.
“With urbanites doing some things done in rural areas like fetching water at boreholes, going to the grinding mills and urban agriculture, people now see rural areas as better as most now have cellphone signals, electricity and clean water.
Chiremba added: “There are no jobs in the cities, something that attracted the rural youths. The majority of the urban population is suffering. Without jobs, many more men are following the great trek outside the country in search of jobs, leaving wives and children behind.”
According to Zimstat, the poverty datum line for a family of five for January stood at $500.
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Presenting his 2015 National Budget last year, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said in 2011, 2 130 firms closed shop and 19 191 workers lost jobs. In 2012, 1 464 companies shut down, leaving 20 825 employees jobless.
In 2013, 878 companies closed shop rendering 14 499 jobless and in 2014, 134 firms shut down throwing 9 280 people out of work.
Information from the Retrenchment Board reveals that at least 6 960 workers were retrenched last year, with further job losses expected at nearly 40 companies currently undergoing either judicial management or liquidation.Chiremba said urban women and children bear the brunt of the economic hardships as some families go on one meal a day in town to cut costs as they cannot get salaries that match the poverty datum line.
“Workers lucky to be still employed are living from hand to mouth as the salaries are squeezed between food, school fees, paying rentals, water and electricity bills,” Chiremba said.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions said about seven companies closed shop in the last three months, pushing the number to 141 from January 2014 to date‚ an indication that the economy is imploding.
