‘Mutize traders need broader stakeholder approach’

BULAWAYO Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has called for a broader stakeholder approach in finding tangible assistance for Mutize Flea market traders who lost thousands worth of wares after a fire razed down the market.

Last week, more than 300 SMEs lost their wares worth thousands of dollars.

The flea market, popularly known as the “Little Musina” is situated along Lobengula Street between 8th Avenue Extension and Leopold Takawira.

According to the Bulawayo Fire Brigade, the fire was caused by an electric appliance that was left unattended.

A fortnight ago, another flea market in Bulawayo, Pan Jap, was also reduced to ashes after two unknown men threw a suspected petrol bomb into the premises razing down all the property that was stored in the premises.

In January, a small-scale furniture manufacturing site in Mpopoma popularly known as Espamprikeni also burnt down in a suspected electrical fault that triggered the fire.

Mutize flea market was one of the busiest in Bulawayo, offering both wholesale and individual purchases to different buyers from across the city and beyond.

Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs programmes coordinator Mr Nketa Mangoye Dlamini said the fire outbreak had dire consequences on traders and the economy of Bulawayo.

He said the chamber is trying to find ways to assist the affected.

“What we have been considering as a chamber is how best we can assist those SMEs, we are doing consultations, trying to put together the statistics on magnitude of the loss, people involved and other issues,” he said.

“Obviously looking at the amount of stock involved it might not be possible that one organisation or an individual can assist those people, it needs a wider stakeholder approach to say how we assist these people” said Mr Dlamini.

“I have been speaking to officers from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, they have also done their research and we are still yet to speak to them to finalise the proper approach.”

Mr Dlamini said he has suggested crowdfunding and he said they are still weighing on the idea to see how possible it is.

“Basically we need all the assistance and cooperation from any well-wisher who can come in. We are aware that it is a business venture but if upcoming business people meet such disaster unprepared in most cases they will need external assistance,” he said.

Bulawayo City Council said there is need to re-design and modernise the flea markets, educating the shop owners and market managers on fire safety and the need for firefighting equipment in their stalls.

BCC appealed to the residents, corporates and development partners to assist in restoring the livelihoods of the affected vendors.

In an interview, Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) Matabeleland consumer protection officer Mr Comfort Muchekeza provided convenience for many people as prices of various wares were affordable.

The informal sector has become the backbone of the country’s economy as about 70 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from the informal economy.

Over the past decade, Bulawayo has witnessed the emergence and growth of the informal sector following the closure or relocation of big companies to other cities and towns such as Harare due to water shortage challenges which have since been addressed.

This has resulted in mushrooming of SMEs set up by skilled workers who lost their jobs in various sectors of the economy. — @SikhulekelaniM1

-chronicle