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Byo councillors divided on street vendors

The illegal occupation of Fifth Avenue in Bulawayoโ€™s central business district by unlicensed vendors has divided the council with some councillors pushing for the formalisation of the trading area while others want the occupants removed.

The local authority has been engaged in running battles with illegal vendors and space barons who have taken over some of the streets and parcelled out stands.

In the latest council report, Ward 4 Councillor Silas Chigora enquired why Council had failed to deal with illegal vending since 2020.

โ€œDidย Council have adequate equipmentย andย manpowerย toย deal with illegal vending? He supported the proposal for the creation of vending bays along 5th Avenue. Only a few vending bays should be created and also allow parking,โ€ read part of the Town, Lands and Planning Committee report.

This was also supported by ward 18 Councillor Concillia Mlalazi who concurred that it would be a challenge to remove the illegal vendors along 5th Avenue.   

However, other councillors called for the enforcement of by-laws.

Ward 17  Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo observed that most of the illegal vendors were coming from outside the City and did not adhere to by-laws.   

โ€œShe called on effective enforcement of by-laws. Egodini Mall project should be completed soon so that vendingย was controlled in the CBD,โ€ read the report.

Ward 21 Councillor Tinevimbo Maposa encouraged residents to adhere to by-laws. 

โ€œCouncil had more than enough vending bays throughout the City to accommodate potential vendors. Illegal vending in the City should not be tolerated.โ€

In addition, ward 12ย Councillorย Lilian Mliloย said the managementย was delayingย in the enforcement of by-laws and implementationย of council resolutions.ย 

โ€œFifth avenue illegal vendors should be removed and the road should be re-openedย forย traffic. Aldermanย Siboniso Khumalo supported the removal of illegal vendors along 5th Avenue and theย re-opening ofย theย street toย two-way vehicular traffic,โ€ the report read.

The Deputy  Mayor, Councillor Mlandu Ncube did not support the regularisation of vending activities along 5th Avenue.  

โ€œHe felt that option three was misguiding.ย 5th Avenueย was aย roadย andย shouldย beย re-openedย toย two-way vehicular traffic. If illegal vending activities were allowed a wrong precedence wasย beingย set. Thereย were illegal vendors who had started operating from Tower Block and Revenue Hall over the weekend. This should be stopped.

ย โ€œResidents should be told to adhereย toย Councilย by-laws andย registerย forย vending accordingly. Vending along 5th Avenue was illegal and should be stoppedย while illegalย vendorsย wereย removed. Theย Country hadย aย law whichย banned the importation and sellingย ofย old second-hand clothes and surprisingly these were sold by the illegal vendors along Fifthย Avenue,โ€ read the report.

Contacted for a comment on the matter, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) Secretary for Administration, Thembelani Dube said Fifth Ave is already invaded by hooligans who have captured the area and it is only logical for the vending stalls to be formalised.

โ€œDoing so may be a calculated strategy to temporarily address the challenge of illegal occupations,โ€ said Dube.

He added that the speedy opening of the Egodini terminus is the lasting solution to the problem of vending spots sprouting in every corner of Bulawayo CBD’s peripherals.

Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) Director Michael Ndiweni said they are awaiting feedback from BCC and Government officials following a series of engagements on the issue.

Senzeni Ncube

Senzeni Ncube is an accomplished journalist based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, with seven years of experience in hard news, investigative writing, fact-checking, and a keen focus on social development, mining, elections, and climate change. She has extensive expertise in reporting community service delivery issues, demonstrating a deep understanding of politics, human rights, gender equality, corruption, and healthcare. Additionally, she possesses proficiency in video production and editing and is dedicated to providing high-quality journalism that highlights crucial social matters and amplifies the voices of the community. Senzeni is known for her thought-provoking interviewing skills.

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