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Zimbabwe’s transacting public has embraced the use of plastic money as opposed to use of cash and the only stumbling block is that many institutions and public offices are yet to install electronic Point of Sale Terminals.

We, however, want to say thumbs up to the retail sector which has responded positively to the Government’s call to introduce Point of Sale machines (swipe machines). Many retail outlets now have POS machines and this has gone a long way in addressing the challenge of cash shortages which has seen workers spending long hours in bank queues instead of being at work.

These lost hours of production cannot be recovered hence the need to urgently address this problem. It is pleasing to note that Government is not only calling on other sectors to embrace the plastic money but is also introducing POS machines at public institutions.

The police have introduced POS machines at 37 police stations countrywide and according to Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, these machines are meant to assist mainly motorists. Snr Asst Comm Charamba said in line with embracing the use of plastic money and in response to the calls by the public, the ZRP had introduced POS machines at some traffic and duty uniform branch police stations throughout the country.

She said more machines will be introduced in future for public convenience. The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration, (Zinara) has also introduced POS machines at its tollgates. Four out of the 26 tollgates countrywide now have POS machines and we want to call on Zinara to speed up the installation of these machines.

The banks that are supplying the machines should prioritise Zinara given the challenges that the travelling public is facing as a result of cash shortages. It is our hope that more Government departments and parastatals will soon embrace the use of plastic money which will assist in enhancing accountability.

Police should move with speed to have swipe machines at roadblocks which we believe will go a long way in fighting corruption.

We want at this juncture to once again urge those that are yet to install POS machines in both the public and private sector to urgently do so.

The use of plastic money is not only convenient for the transacting public but is also safe compared to moving around with large amounts of cash.