Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya has advised that all banknotes that have been issued by the central bank remain legal tender, following the rejection of smaller denomination notes by some businesses.
Reports indicate that most transport operators and shops in Bulawayo are now rejecting the ZW$20 notes, while ZW$5 and ZW$10 have since been rejected by the transacting public.
Responding to questions from  Sunday News Business, Mangudya said all the bank notes remain legal tender in the country. He said:
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While we are not privy to that predicament raised, it is important to advise that all the bank notes that we issued remain legal tender which can be deposited at banks and banks can bank the same at the RBZ under the normal banking process.
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Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) president Denford Mutashu urged businesses to accept the $20 banknotes to avoid inconveniencing the public. Mutashu said;
<blockquote>
We encourage businesses to accept all notes including the ZW$20 notes and not inconvenience the transacting public.
Rejection of particular denominations is usually synonymous with high inflation as currency value erodes, unfortunately, it is only in our environment that economic agencies decide to reject notes.
In Malawi, Zambia, South Africa and other jurisdictions, even the smallest of the denominations like coins are accepted at the point of transacting.
</blockquote>

Pindula News

$5, $10, $20 Notes Still Legal Tender - Mangudya

Kombi crews and most shops in Bulawayo are reportedly now rejecting the $20 bill although it is still legal tender in the country.
However, big retail outlets such as OK Zimbabwe, PicknPay, Choppies, and Sai Mart, as well as Government departments are still accepting $20 banknotes.
Kombi crews argue that illegal foreign currency dealers whom they buy forex for fuel and other accessories from, for their fleets are no longer accepting the note.
A shop attendant at a takeaway shop at the corner of Fife Street and 9th Avenue told the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/businesses-reject-legal-tender-in-bulawayo/">Chronicle</a> that their employer gives them Zimbabwe dollars to use as transport money. She said:
<blockquote>
Kombis are rejecting the $20 note so if we accept it here we will be doing ourselves a disservice because it’s the same money that the employer will give us as transport hence our decision not to accept the notes anymore.
</blockquote>
The $20 note was released into circulation in June 2020 alongside the $10 note.
It remained the highest denomination in the country for a full year until the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe introduced the $50 note in July 2021.
The country’s highest note denomination is the $100 bill which came into circulation in April this year.
Businesses started rejecting the $5 note in early 2021 against the backdrop of a spike in the prices of goods and services.
A few months later, the market “demonetised” the $10 note as carrying piles of cash became inconvenient for the transacting public.

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