TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) should provide proper trading facilities for the informal traders to restore sanity in the central business district, a vendors association has said.
Streets and pavements in the country’s second largest city are a complete mess as vendors leave rotting produce on the streets for the council to clean up.
But BCC which is reeling from fuel shortages has minimised operations giving vendors a free rein on the city streets.
The congestion is attracting pickpockets who harvest cash and other valuables from unsuspecting residents
Bulawayo Vendors Trust Association executive director Mike Ndiweni said traders and BCC have a responsibility to make the city clean.
“The vendors should be moved to designated areas and councils should take punitive action against those that decide to be defiant. We cannot put the residents’ lives at risk as a result of vendors who operate at undesignated areas with no toilets and other facilities such as running water.”
Ndiweni said some vendors are operating in townships and their business is growing.
“For example, our members I think 106 of them from Pumula suburb are starting to operate in the area. And more vendors are coming in to join them. This is a clear indication that there is business in townships just like the CBD.
“Vendors at the Highlanders market also were skeptical about being relocated to the place because they were saying the place is too far from town. But as we are talking they are fighting for stands there. Business blooms everywhere regardless of the location , “he said.
On Saturday, BCC teams were conducting raids in the city centre and could be seen apprehending vendors hiding among crowds waiting to board buses to their various destinations in town.
