The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has extended by a further two weeks the deadline for informal traders to relocate from Egodini Terminus to pave way for the construction of a multi-million dollar transport hub and shopping complex.
The $60 million complex is a partnership between the local authority and South African contractor company, Terracotta Private Limited.
Council had begun relocating commuter omnibus operators and vendors from the site to pave way for the commencement of the project on March 1.
However, vendor associations operating from the site approached council requesting for an extension of the deadline for them to relocate.
“The leadership of the informal traders further wrote to Council advising of their requests. Being a consultative and responsive organisation, Bulawayo City Council quickly called for a meeting with the leadership to discuss and map the way forward,” said BCC Senior Public Relations Officer, Nesisa Mpofu, in a statement on Thursday.
“The meeting resolved to allow for a further extension of one to two weeks for informal traders who were not yet ready to move from the Site. This was considered by Council who noted that this extension can be granted working together with informal traders so as to ensure smooth transition and handover of the Site to the Project Developer Tearracotta.”
The South African contractor confirmed in another statement that they had ceded to the request from the vendors.
“Observing the professional and humane manner in which BCC handled this last minute request received from informal traders and considering that the time frames involved are not material, as Developer we agreed with the decision of BCC that an additional two weeks could be afforded to assist informal traders with their logistical arrangements,” said Terracotta Pvt Ltd Director, Thulani Moyo said.
Commuter Omnibus operators have already indicated that they are ready to locate to their new operating sites.
