Informal traders operating in Bulawayo’s Central Business District (CBD) have opposed a council directive ordering them to relocate to designated trading sites, saying the move could reduce their access to customers and threaten their livelihoods.
The traders said areas around Fifth and Sixth avenues were popular because of their proximity to the city centre and the steady flow of potential customers.
In a notice dated 22 October 2026, Bulawayo City Council directed traders operating from undesignated areas to move to approved sites between 26 October and 1 November.
The notice said traders seeking space at designated sites should register with the council. Verification of previous allocations and new applications would be conducted at the Dugmore MSMEs Office.
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Speaking to CITE, informal trader Kholwani Ndlovu said moving vendors away from busy parts of the CBD could make it harder for them to earn enough to support their families.
“We are worried about this relocation because our businesses depend on customers who come into town to buy different things. If we are moved to places where there are few customers, it will be difficult for us to make money,” Ndlovu said.
“We are not refusing to follow the council’s rules, but we also need to survive. We have families to look after, and the money we get from selling our goods is what we use to put food on the table.”
Another trader, Chamane Maphosa, said Fifth and Sixth avenues were convenient because shoppers could easily find vendors as they moved around the city centre.
“If we are moved to places that are far from where people usually shop, we may spend the whole day without making enough sales,” Maphosa said.
Nontsikelelo Ncube said many traders relied on daily sales to meet their basic needs and were uncertain whether customers would follow them to new locations.
“Moving us away from these areas could make our situation worse because we do not know whether customers will follow us to the new places,” she said.
The council has urged traders to comply with its by-laws by vacating undesignated areas, including road servitudes, parking bays and pavements.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Organisation executive director Michael Ndiweni said the organisation was discussing the notice and its implications for informal traders.
“As an organisation, we are currently having a meeting to discuss the matter, so for now I can’t give a comment,” he said.
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