The increasing fuel crisis has once again hit the country despite assurances made by the Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube that fuel will be available in the next ‘few days’.
A snap survey revealed that throughout the country especially in the urban areas, long winding queues have become the order of the day with some garages running out of both petrol and diesel.
Commenting on the situation, Minister Mthuli Ncube attributed the crisis to the shortage of forex at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Barely a few weeks ago, there was a relief in fuel supplies as the ‘precious liquid’ was made readily available.
This is a situation that not only affects business operators but ordinary citizens too. In Bulawayo recently, Kombi drivers and passengers were at logger heads following an incessant increase of kombi fares.
Some Kombi operators in the city vehemently denied a reduction of fares saying the hikes did not only come as a result of fuel shortages, but also because of the increase in car spare parts and other necessities such as oil and general living standards.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing fuel shortages since July with the situation intensifying last month. The government attributed these shortages on ‘panic buying’ which reportedly lead to an ‘artificial shortage’ created on social media platforms. The unstable rates between the bond and the US dollar has culminated to serious black market in the country.
