A common tactic, seen both in Hong Kong and later in South Africa, was for hedge funds to sell short the currency as well as a long-duration investment (e.g. shares and bonds) whose value was particularly sensitive to short-term interest rates. If the monetary authority supported the currency by raising interest rates, the speculators profited from the domestic play.
As is the case in all organisations, Bank staff face a drop in income when they retire, because their monthly pension payment is unavoidably lower than their after tax salary at the time when they retire. As a result, many retirees desire to supplement their pension income, especially those who still have pressing commitments to support family members.