Following the reopening of Egodini Bus Terminus Phase 1, the Bulawayo City Council is set to intensify its efforts to relocate informal traders and transport operators to designated operating areas.
Bulawayo City Mayor, Cllr David Coltart, has ordered that public transport operators and informal traders move to designated operating spaces by Friday, February 9, 2024.
He noted that the bus terminus has created vending bays for at least 400 informal traders at the moment, and a further 767 will be accommodated at the same site in the future, bringing their total to 1,167.
Cllr Coltart also warned kombi operators to have moved to Egodini by the said date.
“The City of Bulawayo, in partnership with Terracotta Pvt Ltd, reopened the Egodini Mall for Commuter Omnibus operators and the commuting public on Monday, 5th February 2024. As advised in our earlier notice dated Sunday, 28 January 2024, we expect all taxi operators and informal traders to have moved to designated vending sites and designated taxi ranks by the end of the day, Friday, 9th February 2024,” he said.
“There has been movement into the Egodini Mall Taxi Rank and informal traders market (Phase 1) by the Taxi operators and commuting public, and it is anticipated that as the days progress, there would be more and more of them moving into the rank. Movement of taxis into the Egodini Mall taxi rank and informal traders market is gaining momentum since the commencement of the relocation exercise early this week. The engagement of commuters and operators is ongoing.”
Mayor Coltart said the verification process for informal traders at the Egodini Mall taxi rank and informal traders market (Phase 1) has been finalized with all 400 available bays now allocated.
“The procedure was done using the following preference on a first-come-first-served basis; i. Informal traders who were relocated from Egodini and are on Council’s registry. ii. Informal traders who are on Council’s waiting list. To date, there has been a spillover where people have signed for the next batches of vending bays,” he said.
He added that the City of Bulawayo has a deliberate policy to deliver safe workspaces and settle informal traders to decongest the city.
“The policy seeks to further allow vendors to trade at suburban areas while also establishing markets in western areas such as the Nkulumane Safe Market at Nkulumane complex, which is almost complete. The vending bays in the western areas allow proximity to the markets and reduce operating costs. A total of 10,000 informal bays are available throughout the City, and we urge informal traders to regularize their operations by registering with our offices at Basch Street,” he said.
“In addition, the city has also designated 2nd Avenue and Lobengula Street as designated Informal Trading sites with approximately 700 bays earmarked, and these are currently under construction. The City of Bulawayo is also in the process of developing and decongesting Fifth Avenue where a further approximately 500 bays will be established.”
