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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
Masvingo has launched a blitz on unlicensed pushcarts as the council tries to bring sanity in the central business district (CBD).

The operation, which also involves the ZRP, includes impounding the unlicensed pushcarts.

In an interview, acting chamber secretary Mr Vitalis Shonhayi said the pushcarts were obstructing both vehicular and human traffic on the streets and causing unnecessary congestion.

“Our municipal police in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Republic Police are conducting an operation to get rid of unlicensed pushcarts,” he said.

“So far we have impounded about 15 of them. The owners of the pushcarts pay a fine of $10 per month depending on the number of months the operator has spent without paying the licence.”

Mr Shonhayi said the licence for operating a pushcart is $50 per year and should be paid in January for the pushcart to operate within designated streets. He said the blitz was extended to traffic operations, where motorists were arrested for contravening traffic control by-laws.

About 39 motorists have had their vehicles impounded since November for flouting traffic regulations.

“Apart from pushcarts, our police are also arresting those motorists found flouting our by-laws of traffic,” said Mr Shonhayi. “Our municipal police conducted traffic control operations in the city and 39 drivers were arrested for contravening traffic control by-laws.”

According to latest full council meeting minutes, a resolution was made on the operations of pushcarts in the CBD since they were obstructing traffic in the streets.

“The concern was noted and the acting chamber secretary was instructed to prepare a report to the health, housing and environmental services committee on the same,” reads the minutes.

“It was reported that this was done with a view of rescinding council resolution which had approved operation of pushcarts in the CBD.”