Zimbabwe after Mugabe: The country where pensions have disappeared
Retired couple Teddie and Vesta always imagined they would live out their golden years with dignity.
He is 85, and served one company for 46 years as a cleaner, eventually rising to become a receptionist. Vesta says that increasing inflation has robbed them both of a comfortable retirement.
A year ago Teddie’s monthly pension was worth $80 (£66), it’s now worth $10.
“I am saddened when I see my beloved sitting in that corner from morning to night,” Vesta tells the BBC.
“I would love to give him a banana, an orange or a cool drink. But we can’t afford it.
A banana costs $0.40.” The signs of a failing economy are everywhere.
Supermarket trolleys are hardly ever full these days and shoppers linger, contemplating their purchases.
The prices of basics like sugar and cooking oil jumped by 200% in the 12 months to June, according to official statistics. So did the price of healthcare.
Meanwhile the cost of bread has gone up fivefold since April.
Read more @BBC
