Organisations and individuals who spoke to The Zimbabwean this week said the bank had been staggering salary payments and in some cases failing to disburse money to clients.
“We cannot access our cash. Last week we applied for $10 000 which we wanted to use for a certain project but we were only given $1000. We are a donor funded organisation and donors are very strict on meeting targets. Right now we are in trouble because we failed to do some projects because our money is stuck in the bank,” said a finance officer with a local NGO who declined to be named.
“Some of our workers have not received their February salaries. We did the bank transfers long way back. We have engaged the bank’s management at the highest level but they told us that they are facing liquidity challenges. If something is not done as matter of urgency we might be forced to close down,” he said.
“I have not been able to access my February salary. Each time I go there, tellers say they are waiting for money from Harare. I have already opened a new account with a local commercial bank,” said Charity Ncube, an account holder at the bank. The Fife Avenue branch was deserted this week.
The bank is currently finalising negotiations with three potential investors – Mines Minister Obert Mpofu’s Trebo and Khays (Private) Limited, Unicapital Finance of Mauritius and Swiss-based AFG Global. When this reporter phoned and identified himself to the bank’s Operations Director, Frank Karara for comment, he told the reporter to phone him back after five minutes. Thereafter he ignored all calls.
Post published in: Business