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Sharon Chigeza Manicaland Correspondent
TRADE unions have appealed to Government to urgently address issues of safety and health for workers in the informal sector, which is currently the largest contributor to the national Gross Domestic Product.

Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) president Mr Alfred Makwarimba told delegates that attended the World Day of Safety and Health commemorations in Mutare last week, that the evolution of the Zimbabwean economy had seen a number of people getting employed in the informal sector, which is characterised by unfavourable working conditions.

Mr Makwarimba was represented by ZFTU Manicaland regional manager, Tichaona Nhidza.

“The transformation of the economy, which has taken place since the beginning of the 21st century in Zimbabwe has engendered huge swathes of small-scale farmers, traders and manufacturers.

“The informalisation of the economy means that attention has also to be directed towards improving the working conditions of the informal workers through providing sufficient market stalls and small-scale industrial complexes accompanied by the provision of clean water and waste collection,” said Mr Makwarimba.

The informal sector has been built around family ties and the use of little or no knowledge on industrial processes resulting in most people being made vulnerable to health hazards such as injuries and infections.

“Exposure to hazardous working conditions and child labour is rampant in the operations of these small-scale businesses, which are usually organised around kingship and family ties.

“Research and training is therefore needed in this sector to inform policy makers on the best intervention strategies,” he said.

Mr Makwarimba added that Government was to put in place measures such as road rehabilitation to safeguard workers from occupational hazards.

“The Government must speedily rehabilitate roads, which have become an occupational hazard for drivers and workers in general during their daily travels to and from work.

“The state of the road network poses serious risks for drivers and passengers and must therefore be urgently addressed,” he said.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU), president Mr Peter Mutasa, represented by treasurer-general, Mr Lovemore Ngwarati, concurred with ZFTU citing that the commemorations were being held at a time when there was an increase in workplace accidents especially in the informal sector.

“We gather at a time when there is an increase in the number of workplace accidents with a rising number coming from small-scale miners and road carnage despite our continued occupational safety health (OSH) campaigns,” he said.