Questions arise rental payments reprieve during Covid19 lock down period

Staff Writer

CABINET says it has resolved to issue a moratorium barring evictions due to non- payment of rentals during the Covid19 lockdown period.

In a post cabinet briefing, Information Ministry’s secretary, Nick Mangwana said the decision was reached in considering the challenges facing Zimbabweans as a result of the lockdown.

“Cabinet has resolved that there be a moratorium on both commercial and residential evictions due to the applicable lease obligations from April up to the end of the lockdown including payment of rentals for those months,” he said.

The announcement comes at a time when most Zimbabweans are struggling to make ends meet because they have not generated incomes since the commencement of the five weeks long lockdown.

In line with the arrangement, cabinet also resolved that unpaid rentals from April to the end of the lockdown will be paid in equal instalments after the declaration to end the lockdown period.

However, analysts have questioned how applicable and beneficial the measures are considering that most companies have already made it clear that they will not be paying any salaries over the lockdown period.

Business lobby group, Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce has since established that 25 % of formal jobs and 75 % of informal jobs will be lost after the lockdown due to inherent value chain disruptions caused by the Covid19 pandemic.

Informal sector organisations and labour unions have since criticised government for not doing enough to protect the citizens in light of the Covid19 lock down effects.