A security guard at Choppies Supermarket in Bulawayo’s New Luveve suburb narrowly escaped death after armed robbers fired at him and missed.
The robbers then attacked other employees, stabbing one security guard four times and injuring the manager with a blow to the head.
After overpowering the staff, the robbers forced the manager to open the main entrance, escaping on foot with US$1,000 in cash.
According to <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/choppies-supermarket-robbed-of-us1-000/">The Herald</a>, the incident occurred just after 8 PM, shortly after the supermarket had closed for the evening.
Staff were preparing to leave, and security personnel were conducting their routine checks.
A female vendor, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Chronicle that they initially dismissed the sound of gunfire as celebratory fireworks, only to realise with unfolding horror that a robbery was underway. She said:
<blockquote>
It was just after 8 pm when we heard the shots, which we thought were firecrackers. We even chided the person, telling them not to do that near us. Moments later, we realised in horror that it was actually a gunshot, and we ran for our lives.
</blockquote>
A supermarket worker said that the robbers fired three shots. The first shot was aimed at a security guard conducting his routine end-of-day checks behind the building. Fortunately, the shot missed, causing the guard to flee in panic. He said:
<blockquote>
When the shot was fired, one of the robbers manhandled the cashier, fired two shots in the air, and demanded to know where the manager was.
In shock, the cashier told them the manager was at the back. In a flash, the manager had a gun pointed at his head and was ordered to open the shop.
The manager sustained severe head injuries, while one of the security guards suffered multiple stab wounds — three to the leg and one to the arm.
</blockquote>
According to the worker, after collecting the day’s takings, the robbers walked on foot towards Cowdray Park.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the robbery, saying investigations are ongoing to determine the number of suspects involved and whether they used a vehicle during the robbery. He said:
<blockquote>
The robbery occurred last night (Saturday) when the supermarket was closing. The security personnel were preparing for closure when they heard shots being fired.
The suspects then forced the manager to open the front entrance, took some cellphones from employees and US$1 000 from the supermarket, and fled.
</blockquote>
Commissioner Nyathi urged supermarket owners and managers to boost security measures, particularly during closing hours, to deter and prevent similar incidents. He said:
<blockquote>
Supermarkets need to step up security during closure time because it is clear that these robbers were monitoring the situation and knew the shop had collected the day’s takings.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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A man almost got shot at Choppies super market in Luveve. Thieves then attacked workers, hurting a guard and manager, and took $1000. The robbery happened after closing time, when staff were leaving. People heard gunshots and ran away. The thieves demanded the manager open the door with a gun. The thieves escaped on foot with the money. The police are still investigating. The police say shops need better security at closing time.

Choppies Supermarket Robbed Of US$1 000, Workers Assaulted

Retail chain Sai Mart will take over control of Choppies Zimbabwe outlets starting January 1, following Choppies Enterprises Limited’s announcement to exit the Zimbabwean market.
Sai Mart, owned by legislator and Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Raj Modi, currently operates six branches in Bulawayo.
During a media briefing in Bulawayo on Thursday, December 19, Modi confirmed that Choppies supermarkets will be rebranded as Sai Mart in the coming weeks. He said (via <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/modi-acquires-choppies/">Chronicle</a>):
<blockquote>
As of January 1, 2025, we will take over Choppies Zimbabwe outlets, and they will be rebranded as Sai Mart.
</blockquote>
However, Modi did not specify whether the acquisition includes all Choppies outlets nationwide or only those in Bulawayo.
Choppies entered the Zimbabwean market in 2013 by acquiring several Spar shops and expanded its footprint in 2014 by opening a distribution centre in the country.
The retailer currently operates 30 grocery stores nationwide under its subsidiary, Nanavac (Pty) Ltd, trading as Choppies Zimbabwe.
On November 29, 2024, Choppies announced its plans to sell its Zimbabwean operations. In a notice issued to the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE), Choppies highlighted the shift in Zimbabwe’s retail landscape over the past two years, with a growing trend towards informal retail activities.
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Raj Modi, who owns Sai Mart, will take over Choppies supermarkets in Zimbabwe starting January 1. Choppies decided to leave the Zimbabwean market. Choppies has 30 stores in Zimbabwe but it's not clear if all will be taken over by Sai Mart. Choppies entered Zimbabwe in 2013 and expanded in 2014. They decided to sell their Zimbabwe operations because of changing trends in retail. Modi confirmed the takeover during a media briefing in Bulawayo on December 19. The Choppies stores will be renamed Sai Mart.

Raj Modi Acquires Choppies Supermarkets

Botswana’s retail giant, Choppies Enterprises Limited, has revealed plans to divest from its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nanavac (Pty) Ltd, which operates as Choppies Zimbabwe. The sale is subject to regulatory approval.
In a notice issued to the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) on November 29, Choppies highlighted a significant shift in Zimbabwe’s retail landscape over the past two years, with a growing trend towards informal retail activities. Reads the cautionary announcement:
<blockquote>
The Listings Requirements of the Botswana Stock Exchange (“BSE”) require the Company to announce any circumstances or events that have or are likely to have a material effect on market activity or the price or value or trading of the Company’s securities.
The board of directors of Choppies (“Board”) hereby advises all shareholders that the Company has entered into discussions regarding a possible sale of the business operations of Nanavac (Pty) Ltd trading as Choppies Zimbabwe for cash (“Possible Sale”), which, if successfully concluded, could have an impact on the Company’s share price.
Choppies Zimbabwe is wholly owned by the Company and is a grocery retailer with 30 stores in Zimbabwe.
The Possible Sale, which is subject to certain conditions and regulatory approval, is aligned with the strategic intent of Choppies to focus on profitable retail.
In Zimbabwe, over the last two years, there has been a significant shift to the informal retail sector, leaving the formal retail sector to battle a reduction of up to 30% in footfall and having to compete with the informal sector.
While we believe in the country’s long-term viability, Choppies as a group needs more capital to support its Zimbabwean operations for extended periods and has already invested significant capital to support the operations.
Due to the factors mentioned above, we have decided to exit the country.
Shareholders are cautioned that there is no certainty at this stage that the discussions will lead to a formal transaction, and approval from the Zimbabwean Competition and Tariff Commission is required.
Accordingly, shareholders are advised to exercise caution when trading in their Choppies shares until a further announcement is made.
The Company has a primary listing on the BSE and a secondary listing on the JSE.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Choppies, a big store in Botswana, wants to sell its stores in Zimbabwe because small shops are getting more popular there. The big stores are losing customers. Choppies has 30 stores in Zimbabwe, but they want to focus on making money in other places. They need more money to keep going in Zimbabwe, so they decided to leave. The sale is not final yet, and they need approval from the government first. People who own shares in Choppies should be careful when trading until a decision is made.

Choppies To Sell Zimbabwe Business As Tuckshops Take Over Retail Sector

Botswana retailer Choppies Enterprise Limited is considering withdrawing from Zimbabwe due to challenges faced by its local subsidiary, which has impacted the group’s financial performance.
These challenges are attributed to the instability of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency, introduced in April to replace the Zimbabwe dollar as the official domestic currency.
Choppies holds a 100% stake in the local company Nanavac Investments (Pvt) Limited, which operates as Choppies Zimbabwe.
In its annual report for the period ending June 30, 2024, Choppies conceded that Zimbabwe continues to be a challenging environment. It said:
<blockquote>
Operations in Zambia remain fairly stable and should improve significantly, following the ending of the drought and El Niño conditions which affected hydroelectric generation resulting in power cuts.
Once Namibia reaches critical mass, we believe the business will be profitable. Zimbabwe, however, continues to be a challenging environment.
The new ZiG currency, which replaced the Zimbabwean dollar, has not as yet helped to stabilise the economy, and consequently, the Zimbabwean operation has experienced a decline in performance. We are evaluating our operations in the country and will address the situation.
</blockquote>
Choppies says it has 11 388 employees (10 289 Choppies, 1 099 Kamoso) in 287 stores (185 grocery retail, 75 liquor stores, 27 hardware stores) across Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In Zimbabwe, Choppies has 30 stores and employs 1 051 (567 male and 484 female), who could end up losing their jobs if the retailer pulls out of the country. Said Choppies chief executive officer Ramachandran Ottapathu:
<blockquote>
The long-term focus of our strategy is to reduce debt. We have exited all loss-making areas apart from Zimbabwe which is something we are currently considering. We are also looking into expansion plans throughout the group.
The economic challenges in Zimbabwe including high inflation, high unemployment levels and a shortage of foreign currency continued to impact our operations.
Due to the continued risk posed to the group, the company is weighing various options in Zimbabwe given the stress on the group’s financials.
</blockquote>
The local currency has undergone six name changes but has yet to achieve stability, confidence, trust, or sustainability due to inflation fueled by excessive money creation by the Government.
Its previous iterations include the original currency post-independence, that is, the Zimbabwe dollar, then later bearers’ cheques, traveller’s cheques, bond notes, RTGS dollars, and now ZiG.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Choppies, a store, might leave Zimbabwe because of problems with the currency. The currency keeps changing names but is still not stable. This has caused issues for Choppies' business in the country. Choppies has many employees and stores in Zimbabwe. The other countries where Choppies operates are doing better. Choppies is thinking about leaving Zimbabwe because the economy there is not good. This decision might mean that people could lose their jobs. The company is looking at its options to see what to do next.

Choppies Weighs Exit From Zimbabwe

Retailers in Harare are said to be banning customers from taking pictures of commodity prices, with some shoppers even being forced to delete photos of prices. The retailers’ decision comes amidst fears of a government crackdown on businesses over ever-rising prices.
The government has accused businesses of distorting prices and fuelling inflation, while the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has frozen bank accounts of at least 12 suppliers and retailers who were allegedly rejecting payments in local currency and manipulating the official exchange rate.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has also threatened to withdraw the licences of businesses which were hiking prices. Addressing a ZANU PF politburo meeting earlier this week, Mnangagwa described business people who were hiking prices as “detractors” who were sabotaging him ahead of the August 23 elections. He said:
<blockquote>
As we convene today and focus on the elections, the usual machinations and heinous acts of our country’s detractors to reverse our development agenda are glaring.
This is evidenced by their antics and asymmetrical warfare tactics, which include the attack on our currency and the wanton increase in prices of basic commodities. Vakanyangira yaona (we are fully aware). They will never succeed and perpetrators are being brought to book.
</blockquote>
Most retailers have pegged prices in United States dollars, while others have deactivated point-of-sale machines as a strategy to reject the local currency.
The Zimbabwe dollar was yesterday officially trading at $6,713, while on the parallel market, it was exchanging at $10,000 to the greenback.
Consumers have been sharing pictures on social media of high commodity prices, with some prices being shockingly high, such as a loaf of bread for $12,000. NewsDay Weekender reported shoppers being forced to delete pictures of prices they had taken in a leading retail shop in Harare.
According to Denford Mutashu, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers’ President, “formal retail is currently struggling as the exchange rate situation and challenges created by excessive money supply and other policy missteps are now being shoved back at business doorsteps.”
Meanwhile, economist Gift Mugano opines that it is now too late for the Zimbabwean government to liberalise the foreign exchange rate, given the high inflation rates. Mugano suggests that the only option left is to bury the Zimbabwean dollar and deal with its ghost in the form of the US dollar. 
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