HARARE
–
The
Confederation
of
Zimbabwe
Retailers
(CZR)
has
implored
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
to
intervene
and
save
the
sector
which
has
seen
various
formal
retail
and
wholesale
businesses
closing
shop
countrywide
due
to
operational
challenges.
In
a
statement
on
Sunday,
CZR
president
Denford
Mutashu
said
the
continued
closure
of
formal
retail
and
wholesale
businesses
is
a
direct
consequence
of
the
tough
economic
environment
that
has
consistently
failed
to
support
formalised
sector
players
who
face
stiff
competition
from
informal
businesses
and
vendors
the
majority
of
whom
have
no
tax
obligations
to
deal
with.
Mutashu
said
his
association
was
concerned
that
authorities
continue
to
downplay
the
crisis.
“The
recent
closure
of
several
outlets
under
the
N.
Richards
Group,
coupled
with
Spar
Zimbabwe’s
painful
decision
to
shut
down
Queensdale
Spar,
Choppies
Zimbabwe’s
exit
from
the
market,
and
Mahommed
Mussa’s
significant
reduction
of
shop
space
by
60%,
highlights
the
growing
crisis.
“As
the
representative
association
for
these
and
other
brands,
CZR
is
alarmed
that
while
formal
businesses
face
enormous
challenges,
the
authorities
continue
to
present
a
different
picture
of
the
operating
environment,”
he
said.
Given
the
situation,
Mutashu
said,
only
President
Mnangagwa
can
rescue
the
troubled
sector.
“CZR
therefore
calls
for
urgent
intervention
from
His
Excellency,
President
Emmerson
Dambudzo
Mnangagwa,
to
rescue
what
remains
of
the
formalized
retail
and
wholesale
sector,”
said
Mutashu.
He
said
the
sector
was
in
urgent
need
of
rescue.
“While
CZR
acknowledges
the
continued
support
from
the
Ministry
of
Industry
and
Commerce,
it
is
clear
that
the
root
causes
of
these
challenges
are
fiscal
and
monetary
in
nature.
These
require
urgent
and
decisive
action
to
ensure
the
survival
of
formal
businesses.
“CZR
therefore
appeals
to
the
Presidium
to
prioritize
interventions
aimed
at
saving
jobs
and
mitigating
the
ongoing
wave
of
shop
closures
and
retrenchments,”
he
said.