WHERE EVERYTHING BEGAN

Monday, May 30, a Twitter user named @InnocentZikky said that people in Zimbabwe were selling their toes for thousands of dollars. “This is because of the high cost of living and the government’s failure to create jobs,” said the person on Twitter. The tweep said that the toes were being bought for $40 000 (R616 000), while smaller toes were being bought for $20 000. (R308 074).

In a second tweet, the person said “sales” were starting up again and told people to check their direct messages.

ALSO READ: How people allegedly sell off their toes amidst rising cost of living (Video)

THE MAN WHO BEGAN EVERYTHING

According to iHarare, the trend of selling toes began with a vendor in a Harare shopping mall who said it had been going on “for a long time.” The trader, who didn’t give his name, also said that some of his coworkers at Ximex Mall were selling their toes to get rich. The trader has since taken back what he said, telling the publication that he was “drunk” and “only joking.”WHAT THE GOVERNMENT THINKS

Kindness Paradza, who is the deputy minister of information, public relations, and broadcasting services in Zimbabwe, went to Ximex Mall to find out more about the toe trend. Paradza told iHarare that the rumors hurt the country’s reputation. “There’s nothing like that. It’s just people trying to make our country look bad on social media,” said Paradza. “They are also hurting the reputation of our people who work hard to make a living because people think they trade their toes to get ahead.”