Police have arrested seven traders who rejected bond notes
and coins, which remain legal tender, and are ready to arrest anyone else
reported for rejecting this legal cash.
The blitz comes after some people started rejecting bond
notes and coins due to fake news circulating on social media platforms that
they would be demonetised.
In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged members of the public to report any
person, trader or institution rejecting bond notes. Police had so far arrested
seven suspects in Harare and they were expected to appear in court soon.
“The ZRP will ensure that all laws meant to protect the
public and promote the effective maintenance of law and order in the country
are enforced without fear or favour,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister
Monica Mutsvangwa recently said traders were legally obliged to accept bond
notes and coins.
“Government notes with concern that there are some sections
of the market that are rejecting bond notes and coins,” she said. “Notes inscribed ‘bond notes’ are being rejected in
preference for those inscribed ‘dollars’.”
She too stressed they were still legal tender and no one
was planning their demonetisation.
The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) this week
also threatened to stop supplying their products to wholesalers and shops
refusing bond notes and coins.
Members of the association produce and pack maize-meal,
self-raising flour, salt, rice, sugar beans and soya chunks which are critical
for sustaining food security at household level.
The millers will be partnering the Consumer Council of
Zimbabwe (CCZ) to stop the practice.
Under normal circumstances, when cash is deposited in banks
fairly frequently, banks remove worn and soiled notes and send them to the
Reserve Bank for destruction. This in that normal system would see older notes,
such as the bond notes, gradually being moved out of circulation.
Traders eager to accept all payment types, and who readily
accept bond notes, have noted that at times people tender such badly creased
and soiled notes that it is difficult to make sure that they are genuine. But
this is a problem with all currency notes.
When notes or coins are demonetised, notice has to be given
in the Government Gazette and a reasonable time is always given for the holders
to bank these or exchange them at banks while they are still valid and can be
spent in shops, and in a set time after demonetisation. Herald
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