Vendors call for amendment of outdated by-laws

THE Bulawayo Vendors and Traders’ Association (BVTA) says the proposed amendment to the Bulawayo (Hawkers and Vendors) by-laws is only a change of title and does not speak to the challenges that street vendors face in their day to day activities.

This comes after the city`s Town Clerk Christopher Dube announced that the local authority is amending the 1976 by-law.

In an interview with CITE, Michael Ndiweni the association`s Executive Director said the proposed amendment must take into account the real issues that vendors experience.

“As BVTA we will give attention to the proposed amendment if it will look at the vending spaces and gender issues that affect vendors,” said Ndiweni.

He said the local authority needs to improve facilities that vendors use and the new by-laws must capture this.

“BCC needs to do better on toiletry facilities especially for women, they go through their monthly cycles but the toilets they use do not provide for these needs,” said Ndiweni.

“There are women who sell with their children, there is also the disabled. The bylaws do not speak to these issues at the moment”.

The BVTA director said the proposed amendment by-law needs to support entrepreneurial ideas that vendors have.

Copies of the proposed by-law are available at the City Hall for inspection.

“Copies of the proposed by-law will be open for inspection at Council offices (City Hall) and at all Council District Officers during working hours between 0800hrs to 1645hrs, from 3 September to 3 October 2018,” said Dube.

He added that all complaints concerning the proposed changes should be made before 3 November 2018.

“Any objections there to may be lodged with the Town Clerk whose offices are located at City Hall, corner Fife Street and L/Takawira, Bulawayo on or before 3 November 2018,” said Dube.