Raid on illegal vendors looms

BULAWAYO Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) has urged Bulawayo City Council to urgently enforce by-laws including the vending policy in a bid to restore sanity in the city.

Bulawayo municipal police periodically raid “illegal” vendors in the city and confiscate their wares in a move aimed at restoring order in the growing informal sector. According to a recent council report, illegal vending and sewer bursts presented the greatest challenge to public health.

“The health of the residents was a cause for concern. At the moment, the City was very dirty with a lot of litter. Some of the contributing factors were as follows: (a) Illegal vending — This was now a big challenge that needed to be dealt with amicably.

“The best approach to this challenge was stakeholder engagements and finding alternative sites to decongest the CBD. (b) Sewer bursts/overflows — There were a lot of sewer bursts and overflows in residential areas posing health challenges,” read the report.

During an all stakeholders meeting on the informal economy at the City Hall on Tuesday, a BVTA representative appealed to the council to swiftly restore order in the city.

The meeting brought in different stakeholders including property owners, businesspeople, vendors and small and medium enterprises associations, residents’ associations among others.

In her contribution during the meeting, Ms Baka Ncube from BVTA said: “People should start citizens arrest and council should find a way to control those who work at night because those are the people who leave the city dirty and you find places full of litter in the morning.”

Responding to the plea, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the council will move in next month to restore order. Mr Dube encouraged vendors to obtain vending licences before the end of January.

“We are saying, from 2 February, let’s start doing a proper thing, let’s stop unlawful trading, let’s be registered and obtain vending licences. If you are not registered and trading illegally, from 2 February we will start arresting you. We are using the instruction we got from you, therefore lets enforce by-laws and we will not be apologetic in enforcing By-Laws.”

Mr Dube said the city has more than 10 000 vending bays, including those in the suburbs which registered vendors can utilise.

“10 000 bays can accommodate everyone and we are saying don’t come to the city, where you stay, people buy vegetables and other things you are selling.”

Stakeholders also appealed to the council to establish designated areas for buses and commuter omnibuses to avoid congestion in different streets.

There is rampant illegal picking of passengers at undesignated points by long-distance bus crews, particularly, along Bulawayo-Harare Road, Leopold Takawira Extension opposite Centenary Park, and along Bulawayo-Plumtree Road at John Love Motors.

From loading in undesignated places along certain streets in town, the operators have now literally invaded the city centre nightlife as they continue to spread to illegal pick-up and dropping-off points, mainly adjacent to fast-food outlets.

These places are increasingly being associated with more illegal activity ranging from touting, alcohol, forex trading and drug dealing, as well as vending throughout the night

Roads such as 6th Avenue Extension and Herbert Chitepo Streets from 5th Avenue to 11th Avenue have become un-traffickable and no-go areas for ordinary motorists as kombi crews have turned them into mini ranks while pushcart operators have become a law unto themselves as they disregard traffic rules.

In 2022, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube came face-to-face with the chaotic scenes caused by rowdy kombi crews operating along 6th Avenue. Incensed by the disorder in the downtown crowded streets, she disembarked from her vehicle and ordered the kombi crews to clear the road. -chronicle