Traders in Zimbabwe have resorted to repairing old US dollar notes for desperate customers.

Fresh new US dollar currency is not coming into the Southern African nation. And so dealers buy the tattered notes and make profits off the black market.

"I don't care how torn it is, I take it. All I want to see is the serial number, the serial number should be visible on all the sides. Even if it's shredded by rats, I take it, I do this every day that's how I survive", currency dealer, Albert Marombe said.

Many shops reject it, but market traders will often, with some negotiation, accept the glue-patched notes.

"The problem that we are meeting here is over change, every time we are buying here they don't have enough change for US dollar. So it's either we are forced to get these coupons or we get something that can compensate the difference", Innocent Chirume, a shopper said.

"The main problem is that we do not have faith in our own currency, and so the Zimbabwe dollar that exist are now of such a low value we don't want to carry them around because you need a large quantity just to buy a loaf of bread", Robertson said.

The $1 notes are used by many people to buy their daily bread and other small purchases.

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Zimbabwe currency dealers repair worn out dollar notes(https://www.newzimbabwe.com/zimbabwe-currency-dealers-repair-worn-out-dollar-notes/)