There can be no doubt about it, the government is fighting a losing battle against cartels and the black market who continue to thrive despite all manner of laws and regulations being create sometimes specifically for them. We are still buying cash on the streets and when we want foreign currency we have to rely on street dealers not banks.

So how can the government win? Well, one Twitter user thinks they have the answer:

Free market always wins! #MarketWatchZW https://t.co/wCcJZe0HCt
— Market Watch Zimbabwe (@MarketWatchZW) February 2, 2020

It’s a simple solution really, the government should simply align its principles with those of the free market and remove any obstacles that the black market is relying on. Like austerity measures it will probably hurt in the short term but it will eventually work in the long term.

One subsidy the government will probably struggle to do away with though is the maize and mealie-meal subsidy. Personally I don’t think the government should let that one go. There are a lot of vulnerable groups out there that need social protection. Maybe they could find a way to make it more efficient.