Chinese are fuelling the black market, says Mliswa
Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has accused Chinese contractors and businesspeople working in Zimbabwe of fuelling black market activities.
Mliswa said the Chinese are paid in local currency by the government then they take the local currency to the black market to buy US dollars which they externalise to their country.
The legislator said it was sad to note that the government is engaging foreign companies and then pay them in local currency which they cannot repatriate to their countries.
‘’The Chinese companies – the whole thrust was to empower the local companies because they did not need foreign currency. If they needed foreign currency, they would go to the auction after being paid by Government in RTGs.
‘’Now you have got foreign companies that are coming in and this is where the problem is, the local companies must go to auction. They are being paid especially the Chinese companies, they go on the black market and the inflation goes up and then they externalise that money. So, a lot of money is being externalised as a result of that because they are not interested in the RTGs.
‘’Why is the Government engaging foreign companies and then paying them in RTGs knowing very well that they are saboteurs in terms of increasing inflation. So, may there be a response in that statement from the Minister which Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi has alluded to.
‘’It is these foreign companies, especially the Chinese companies which are coming with equipment and no money but they then offer a service and they are paid in RTGS. They go on the black market and the rate goes up. That is how they are doing it.
‘’There used to be a serious measure taken to curb that. If we decide to go for our local companies, we pay them in RTGs and we can monitor our local companies, but we cannot monitor the foreign companies at the end of the day.
‘’So, it is important also to appreciate what monitoring mechanisms have been put in place. At the end of the day, Government comes under pressure because the money that they pay to the civil service has no value. So that is important,’’ he said.
Chinese are fuelling the black market, says Mliswa
