Informal traders and transport operators are expected to ‘finally’ move into Egodini by mid-February this year, according to a new timeline established by a private developer, Terracotta Trading Limited.
Terracotta has missed multiple completion deadlines to hand over the taxi rank and informal vendor’s booths to the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) and last year extended its original April target to August and then to the end of the year.
At the time, the property developer attributed the delays to a lack of a concrete batching plant in Bulawayo as well as challenges in importing steel into Zimbabwe.
Nonetheless, completion of these projects is now planned for early February, implying that informal traders and local transport companies will be able to move into Egodini by mid-February.
This was revealed by Bulawayo Director of Town Planning, Wisdom Siziba, at a consultative meeting between BCC and bus operators who wanted to know when Egodini would open so they could go rank there, as the city prepares to sweep the Central Business District (CBD) of all illegal vending and activities by Wednesday.
The delay in the construction of Egodini Mall has also been noted as one of the reasons why Bulawayo has vendors all over the CBD.
Siziba claimed the private developer stated that February of this year was the new deadline for the completion of the vending stalls and taxi rank.
“What is happening at Egodini is not what one thought would happen but Egodini was divided into phases – one and two. Looking at the pressure that we had, Phase 1A was the immediate need to be delivered as soon as possible, which included the vending stalls and taxi ranks,” he said.
According to the municipal planner, 660 vending stalls are nearing completion.
“For the taxi ranks, the developer has put sheds and metal railing. The bulk earthworks are 100 percent done. Bulk services which are potable water, sewer, fire, storm systems, internal tracking systems, internal communication are also done and connections are there,” Siziba said.
“The installation of steel concrete reinforcing bases, starter bars and columns are 100 percent complete.”
Siziba said the developer promised that the occupation of both vendors and transport operators should happen in mid-February.
“Under the assumption that rain won’t affect work or any other factors that may come into play,” said the town planner.
“Informal traders’ concrete bases are now standing and are 100 percent complete. 660 stalls are 100 percent complete. We expect informal traders to go in and local buses, at least those work to attract people to each other. So by mid-February, they should be able to move in at Egodini whilst other phases are constructed.”
That same day, at another meeting with political parties about the state of deterioration and grime in Bulawayo, Town Clerk Christopher Dube stated that Egodini had been difficult because its development had not gone as planned.
“As we speak now, kombis should have gone back to Egodini but the developer promised that by the end of this month, it would be ready to accommodate kombis and some vendors,” he said.
Dube agreed the renovation was supposed to be finished in December of last year, but changes were made after vendors complained about their stalls.
“At one meeting that was there at Egodini, the vendors criticised the stands and suggested the roofing should be lowered and provide more shade. These fabrications delayed the completion but come February that would have been fixed,” said the town clerk.
“Let’s agree that projects are not completed at one go but where something can be done fast let’s do it.”
