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Thandiwe Katinhimure/Prince Sunduzani, Business Reporters
SMALL to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Bulawayo are facing challenges in accessing Econet’s Kwenga point of sale machines that were introduced recently to aid businesses involving smaller transactions.

Econet subsidiary, Steward Bank, has introduced the new gadgets, which have already been embraced by commuter business operators in the city.

Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs head, Mr Energy Majazi, said while the Kwenga POS machines were good for small businesses as they present a huge potential in addressing the challenges of accessing plastic money, many players were yet to get them.

He complained over delays in accessing the gadgets saying many members who applied for them are yet to get the devices. “Most individuals have applied for them but it has been fruitless because even if they apply they do not get them. I am yet to find out the reason behind this and I am working on it,” said Mr Majazi.

“There is a possibility of SMEs coming on board soon; once the problem is solved SMEs will be seen offering the service because the machine comes in handy for their businesses.”

One SMEs operator in the city centre said it took her two weeks to get the gadget.

Repeated efforts to get comment from Steward Bank and its parent company, Econet, were fruitless last week. Some Bulawayo public transport operators have started offering swipe services to their customers using Kwenga devices. In light of the cash crisis being experienced in the country, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is encouraging the transacting public to embrace the use of plastic money and electronic payment platforms.The SMEs and vendors have said they were failing to benefit from the use of POS machines but could not afford the cost associated with gadgets.

In introducing the POS machine, Steward Bank pointed out that the device was meant for the most ignored, yet most populated market in the SMEs sector.

The bank also revealed that due to the economic turn down in the country, SMEs were the most dominant, which makes them Kwenga relevant.

An ordinary POS machine costs between $600 and $700 while the Kwenga device is selling for $35 for the smaller device and $200 for the bigger one and the device can be used by up to five users.