For the past year or so, these applied only to everyday essentials, such as bread and maize meal.

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Last week, in anticipation of trouble and strikes, those Zimbabweans who could afford to tried to stock up on maize meal and cash.

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"We earn very little, but at least I can buy a pack of maize meal, some chicken pieces and a bus ticket, " she says.

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Price controls have caused staples such as maize meal, sugar and cooking oil to vanish from the shops, to the delight of black-marketeers, who are often ruling-party hacks or army officers.

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Price controls for maize meal were reintroduced in June.

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