government to rectify this situation as life had become unbearable. They also highlighted that there were no assaults by State security agents that were perpetrated upon people in their area. They had heard that casualties were suffered in Solani, Epworth and other areas that they could not name. 5.1.3. In Solani, Epworth, individual interviews were conducted with a number of vendors who were at the shopping centre. In a shop that was selling mealie meal it was noted that the cost of mealie meal had risen to $5 up from $2.50 for a 5kg bag of roller meal and a 10kg bag of roller meal was $10 up from around $6.50. Two (2) female vendors were selling cooking oil and paraffin in 500ml bottles and mealie meal in different sizes of plates and one (1) male was also selling dried kapenta1. They were also at pains to describe the harsh economic situation and how business was no longer sustainable due to the high cost of living. They highlighted that they had heard that there were cases of people who had been assaulted and taken by members of the Zimbabwe National Army and the Zimbabwe Republic Police but they could not point out who they were and where the Commission could find them. A man then approached the Commission and highlighted that he knew people who had been assaulted at their house. The ZHRC then went to the house which is popularly known by the residents of Epworth as the “main house.” 5.1.4. At the “main house”, the Commission had a focus group discussion with 6 males and 3 females who are tenants of this house, while 6 passersby joined in the group discussion. They highlighted that on Tuesday 15 January 2019 at around 11pm the soldiers and the police had jointly approached the house and knocked while calling out the 1 A type of small fish Page 9 of 68