Curio and flower vessel sellers in Gwayi are battling for survival as the ongoing rehabilitation of the Bulawayo/Victoria Falls highway continues to choke the flow of tourists who once sustained their businesses.
For decades, the vendors have depended on motorists travelling to Victoria Falls, displaying their handmade curios and clay flower vessels along the roadside.
The stalls, once vibrant with activity now sit quiet for long stretches of the day.
In interviews with CITE, vendor Mthabisi Sibanda said the decline in traffic has dealt a heavy blow to their livelihoods.
“Tourists who used to stop and buy from us are no longer coming because of the state of the road. We used to sell throughout the day, but now you can go for hours without a single customer,” said Sibanda.
The government has engaged eight contractors to rehabilitate the road, a project expected to improve travel conditions in the long term.
However, the current construction work has made the route less attractive, pushing tourists, especially those from South Africa and Botswana to take alternative routes via Namibia. Some are now preferring to fly.
Some local travellers are also opting to pass through Plumtree and Botswana, further reducing traffic along the Gwayi stretch.
Another vendor, Nkosilathi Ncube said the shift in travel patterns has left many traders struggling to meet basic needs.
“Business has gone down too much. Before we could sell several items in a day but now even selling one piece is a challenge.We depend on this for school fees, food and everything at home. Without customers, life becomes very difficult.”
The vendors sell a variety of handmade products with flower vessels being among the most popular items.
Prices vary depending on size with the largest vessels going for about $60 while smaller ones range from $5 to $20.
Another vendor, Thandeka Moyo said even lowering prices has not helped attract buyers.
“These pots are made with a lot of effort and they are durable but there are simply no customers. Our biggest pots cost $60 and smaller ones are $20, $10 or even $5 but people are just not passing through anymore. Sometimes we go home without selling anything.”
She added that the uncertainty has left many families anxious about the future.
“We understand the road must be fixed and we are hopeful things will improve,” Moyo said.
“But right now, we are suffering. We just need customers to come back.”
Despite the hardships, the vendors remain cautiously optimistic that once the roadworks are complete, traffic and business will return to the Gwayi corridor, restoring a vital source of income for the community.
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