Hairdressers operating at Modern Classic hair salon in Bulawayo have voiced their distress over recurring harassment by plainclothes police officers, alleging frequent raids and unwarranted fines.
Reports indicate that police raids at the salon have become routine, resulting in hairdressers being apprehended and taken to Drill Hall for fines, leading to significant stress and financial strain among those affected, and a subsequent decline in business.
The hairdressers also claimed they had been arrested for simply consuming food within the salon.
During a recent incident on Monday, clients experienced service delays, with some left mid-appointment due to police raids.
Speaking to CITE, the hairdressers recounted how police officers blocked salon entrances and restroom access, demanding licenses and subsequently arresting them without proper identification or explanation.
“They came here demanding a hard copy of our license, Two blocked the entrance, one blocked the toilet door while the other two were going around saying everyone had been arrested without even identifying themselves or producing their identification, they started taking down people’s names, after that they asked us to get into their vehicle despite our attempts to explain and provide the necessary documentation, We were taken to Dill Hall while our clients were left unattended,” they said.
The detainees were taken to Drill Hall and charged with failure to display shop licence.
“We were taken to Drill Hall and one of the hairdressers was detained together with her grade one granddaughter. When the hard copies were brought to Drill Hall, they told us that we were speaking too much, and we were being stubborn. After that we were charged with failure to display the licence and each hairdresser paid US$30 and we were released around 6 pm,” they said.
In response, Bulawayo Police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube defended the actions, asserting the police’s authority to enforce licensing regulations.
“It’s the only department that can enforce health law, registry, animal health act, anything that is called law is enforced by the police. The police are law enforcement agents, not specific law agents, before they say anything they should first practice good hygiene,” he said.
He said the role of the license inspectorate in the police department is to enforce licenses only.
“The owner has a responsibility to display a license, it is the responsibility of the police to arrest anyone who doesn’t display a license,” said Inspector Ncube.
