Own Correspondent|Bulawayo, Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube had to intervene yesterday and stopped Galaxy Cash and Carry Supermarket from selling the subsidised roller meal on condition that a customer bought groceries worth $150.

There was an uproar from customers at the supermarket located along Fort Street between 7th and 8th Avenues who complained that they only had money to buy mealie-meal.

Minister Ncube said she visited the supermarket and convinced the owner to sell the mealie-meal unconditionally.

She condemned the abuse of the subsidised mealie-meal, saying it was a controlled commodity meant to benefit ordinary citizens.

“I visited the supermarket and spoke to a man who seemed to be the owner. He said he placed the condition as a way of controlling the long queue, but from my observation the queue was short compared to what we normally witness.

“I do not know what their motive was. We managed to reason with the owner and we were able to rectify the problem,” she said.

Minister Ncube said she will engage the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe to look into the situation because it was unfair for retailers to demand that consumers buy some goods as a precondition.

She urged consumers to resist bad practices and condemned businesses that seek to make mega profits out of people’s misery.

Mr Shelton Matanga, who was among those on the queue, said people had been waiting for hours to buy mealie meal.

“We arrived here at around 7am after realising that there was a delivery of the subsidised roller meal. We are already struggling and we do not have the extra $150 they are demanding,” he said.