Abantu abanengi bathi kabasoze benelise ukuthenga ezifela emlonyeni lokunye okudliwayo ngekhefu leKhisimusi lonyaka ngenxa yokumemetheka komkhuhlane weCOVID-19 lesimo esibi somnotho eZimbabwe.
Ngesikhathi sekhefu leli ilizwe limi kahle, abantu babethenga izigqoko ezintsha, izicathulo, amathenisi, iziwiji, isinkwa esinengi, amanamunede lezifela emlonyeni. Babegada amabhasi belubhekise emaphandleni. Kwakuyisikhathi sokukholisa lezimuli labangane. Ukugugudeka komnotho welizwe leZimbabwe kanye lomkhuhlane weCoronavirus sokutshiye abantu bethithibele, inengi labo bedinga imali yokuthenga ukudla lama mask okuvimba ukumemetheka kwegciwane leCOVID-19. UNkosikazi Sharon Gumbi ngomunye wabathi kabakwazi ukuthi benzeni ngekhefu leKhisimusi.
“Sithola ukuthi abantu abaphithizeli njengendlela esijayele ukwenza ngayo iminyaka yonke ngoba abantu bayesaba ukuthi mhlawumbe sihambe emakhaya mhlawumbe emabhasini sizabambana lemikhuhlane. EGoli akuhambeki, kumele badinge ama certificates awoku-testa iCOVID-19. Ngalesosizatho, sizebunzimeni, we cannot even call it a festive season, ngoba izihlobo zethu ziyafa ngaphetsheya kwamazwe, siyethukile nje, ngoba lokuthi isikolo sizavulwa kumbe sizavalwa we are confused, sizakudla imali engxenye kuvulwe, so sinje siyethukule, asikwazi ukuthi kumele senzeni.”
UMnu. Effort Ncube, umqondisi weNational Consumer Rights Association, uthi iKhisimusi yalonyaka izabe yehlukile kulejayelekileyo.
“Lonyaka iKhisimusi ayisoke ibe yileyana esiyijayeleyo, abantu behlangene bebanengi umdeni ubuthene kudliwa kukholiswa ngenxa yeCoronavirus. Kuzaba nzima kakhulu ukuthi kwenziwe kanjalo ngoba kulengozi enkulu kakhulu uma abantu bengahlangana sebengathelelana kalula lokufa kube kunengi kakhulu kulalokhu obekusenzeka. Ngalokhu akusoke kube yiKhisimusi esiyijayeleyo izaba lomehluko, izabe isethusa abantu bebalekela ukuhlangana ndawonye.”
UNkosikazi Madade Ndlovu, ophila ngokuthengisa impahla etshiyeneyo, uthi kasoze enelise ukuthenga ukudla kwekhefu leKhisimusi njengoba kunzima ukuphanda imali emigwaqweni.
“Kuqala kunje ngesikhathi lesi sika December wawubona ngokunyakazela ukuthi sesingenile kusikhathi seKhisimusi njalo wawubona langama customer ukuthi izinto ziyathengeka. Khathesi lathi sehluleka lokuthi siyewoda ngoba imali yakhona ayikho. Lama customer ayakhala bathi abala mali so ibusiness ayisafani lalawa ebesiwabano kuminyaka edlulileyo, kulomehluko omkhulu kakhulu njalo lokuthi yiKhisimusi akusakhanyi.”
Lokhu kusekelwa nguMnu. Mkhulunyelwa Maphosa laye ophila ngokuthengisa impahla etshiyeneyo.
“Kuyasebenzeka lapha lalaphana kodwa akukho kuhle okokuthi yifestive season. Sekusele ibizo nje kuphela. Kulandela iLockdown lomkhuhlane weCOVID-19 akusasebenzeki kangako nxa sesiqathanisa lama festive season adlulileyo.”
Usomabhizimusi wakoBulawayo, uMnu. Nqobile Mafu, uthi sekuyikwenza nje kodwa akusela nzuzo kwezamabhizimusi.
“Akuseyiyo business leyana esiyijayeleyo eyokuthi abantu bayabe belama bonus. Lonyaka iKhisimusi yakhona ngeyokuthi siphile sikwanise ukubhadala irent. Akula business eqinisweni, akufani leminyakeni asazi kumbe yiCorona okwakhathesi yikuthi siphile nje lemuli zethu nje kuphela, abantwana bengalambi. Asazi kumbe igovernment yethu iyakubona konke lokukhona but kodwa sesisenza nje kuphela.”
Kweminye iminyaka babebuya ekhaya ngobunengi babo abasebenza eGoli, bagade amabhasi abasebenza emadolobheni bathi gwaqa emaphandleni kuhlatshwe inkomo kumbe imbuzi, kudliwe santando kugidwe lize liyetshona Ilanga abanye benatha utshwala, itiye elochago kanye lamanamunede. Konke lokhu sokumotshwe yiCOVID-19 lokugugudeka komnotho kwele Zimbabwe.
