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Courtney Matende Midlands Reporter
A health hazard is looming at Kudzanayi long-distance bus terminus in Gweru amid indications that there are over 3 000 informal traders using two toilets. The 3000 strong informal traders operating are above the terminus’s holding capacity of 1000 people.

In a meeting between Gweru City Council (GCC) and the informal traders (vendors) on Wednesday, Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations (ZCIEA) chairperson Mr Shepherd Museve said vendors had increased three fold over the limit.

He said the available toilets- which are also used by the travelling public are no longer adequate for the ballooning vendors.

“Kudzanayi long distance bus terminus has approximately 3000 vendors against the installed capacity of 1000. So you find that people have to compete to use the toilets.

‘‘You also have to factor the people travelling in buses,” he said.

Mr Museve appealed to GCC to construct more toilets to match the growing population at the bus terminus.

“There was an outbreak of typhoid last year which killed 11 and affected thousands of people. Right now there are only two toilets at the bus terminus. We cannot have another outbreak so may the GCC sort out the issue of toilets because our health as a community is at risk,” he said.

Some vendors at the meeting accused the GCC of failing to maintain the toilets.

“The toilets are always dirty and no one bothers to clean them. Sometimes you find plastic containers and maize cobs stuck in the toilets and water seeping out of the toilets flowing to where will be selling our wares.

‘‘ You can’t expect diseases such as typhoid not to break out in such an environment,” said a vendor.

Mrs Vanessa Sibanda said they were also worried about the absence of toilets at the local rank for commuter omnibuses which service Ascot, Mambo and Mtapa residential suburbs.

“We have a serious problem at our Bata bus terminus where there are no toilets and people are using the open area behind Simrac to relieve themselves. That whole area is now a health hazard due to open defecation. We want council to provide toilets,” she said.

GCC director of Housing and Community Services Mr Shingirai Tigere said council had considered converting the toilets into pay toilets but abandoned the idea because some people did not have the money to pay to use the toilet.

He also said plans are under way to construct a trading mall for vendors which would have proper ablution facilities.