By Correspondent
Some have jokingly referred to surviving in Zimbabwe as a credential weighty enough to add on to a CV.
The absence, shortage or challenge in accessing very basic services has made life a hustle and bustle trade everyday.
Making it through the day in Harare requires a complex arsenal of provisions and skills.
We have compiled some of them here to aid your day and make life easier in the capital.
Carry Loose Change In The CBD
Harare’s CBD is a jungle where only the fittest survive.
Prowling looking for easy prey at any given time are a variety of law enforcement officers such as ZRP, Municipal Police, City Park and their bogus versions.
One can be arrested for many things in the CBD including the novel crime of standing!
The antidote to all these scoundrels is a dosage of a dollar or two.
Warning: Never debate the law with any of these scoundrel officers, it will only make the case more fatal for you.
You Need A Lot Of Buckets
Harare is on a perennial water-shedding schedule for over 3 years now.
In some areas water is only available for 4-5 days.
Thus one needs to have huge containers for the water or at the very least buckets.
Without such things water hassles can be a frustrating experience especially for women.
Ditch The Cooker, Get A Gas Stove
Forget all the modern perks of using electricity, Harare, like most parts of Zimbabwe has electricity for limited periods.
However, with a gas stove you can cook when you want and don’t have to scurry around the kitchen like a blind mouse when electricity comes.
With Wicknel splashing supposedly Solar Power Plant cash on vehicles the blackouts are indeed here to stay.
Avoid Harare Gardens
Previously, no Harare wedding was complete without the couple going for some photos in the picturesque setting.
The wide green beds and spindly pine trees provided a beautiful airy setting for memorable images.
Not so today when the area has become a hazardous enclave of homeless bandits marauding during the day and night.
The whole area near to the National Art Gallery has become unsafe and dangerous.
Women have had their wigs snatched and men have been mugged by scoundrels commonly called magunduru.
Beware of Good Samaritans
The poor economy has failed on many fronts but succeeded in crafting creative thieves.
Beware of and avoid overly helpful individuals offering jobs, seeking temporary phone use or a whining about a host of pitiful excuses.
Many have been swindled while entertaining stranded strangers.
By cynical, suspicious and focus on your business.
Know The Price First
Never get into a business deal without agreeing what the charge is going to be.
A lot of enterprising entrepreneurs in Harare calculate the price for goods and services on the go.
How you look can affect how much you are made to pay.
Thus it’s always dangerous to assume a price and require a service without confirming, you will be shocked.
The same applies to kombis; ask the fare before boarding otherwise you will be hijacked until you pay a new extortionist figure.