Zimpapers Logo

Tafadzwa Ndlovu Herald Reporter

IT is business as usual for vendors in market places and the streets of Harare despite today being the deadline for them to move to alternative areas out of the Central Business District.

Most vendors in Harare said they were not going to move today until spaces with proper infrastructure were availed.

Mr Tongai Mbayo said there was no need for him to go to the outskirts of town where there is no business.

“Move and go where? There is no market out there, I cannot leave my customers here in the CBD and go where there is no one hence I am not moving,” he said.

Mrs Portia Nyamayevhu also said she was not going to move saying they should put in place proper infrastructure.

“Why should we go to places where there are no toilets and access to clean and safe water? Our lives are here in the streets and we are not moving as yet,” she said.

The city council said they were in the process of registering vendors until end of weekend but it seems most of the vendors were not aware of the process.

Some of the vendors said they wanted more information on the registration process which was unclear to them.

“We have registered before and we do not understand what this process is like now. The city council should enlighten us on what is happening because as it is we are not aware,” said Mr Tonderai Gava.

Meanwhile, by end of day yesterday only 74 illegal vendors out of a possible 20 000 had turned up for a registration exercise by the Harare City Council.

This came as city officials said yesterday that the vendors had no choice but to move out today and if they ignore the order, municipal police and the Zimbabwe Republic Police would be called in.

“The illegal vendors must leave the streets tomorrow (today),” said Harare city principal communications officer Mr Michael Chideme.

“The registration process is on-going and in the event of those who will not comply, our municipal police will get support from the ZRP.”

Details to follow…