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In a clampdown widely condemned by informal traders, the Municipality of Victoria Falls descended on every street corner confiscating curios, cellphones and other goods.
Many vendors were seen yesterday milling around town council offices with some trying to pay fines while others wanted their goods back.
The council police, however, did not release any of the seized goods as they loaded them onto trucks en route to store rooms.

Vendors who spoke to Chronicle accused the council police of cruelty and expressed fear that their goods might never be returned even if they pay fines.
“We are very disturbed by the lack of lenience on the part of council. My E99 cellphone was taken away and I do not think that I will be able to recover it,” said one vendor only identified as Charles.
Other vendors who sell their wares near Soppers Arcade called upon the city fathers to quickly bring the operation to a halt and return the seized goods.

“We call upon the city fathers to bring this harassment to a stop. We are small traders who are trying to live an honest life, but these people are putting us back to poverty,” said Artwell Ndlovu, a vendor.
Other residents have complained that council is not supposed to seize any goods without police presence because of accountability problems.
In the past, council police have been accused of auctioning tomatoes and other goods that are taken from the poor.

Meanwhile, sources from council told Chronicle that a committee is going to convene today to decide the fate of the seized goods.
Efforts to get an official comment from the council were fruitless as the mayor’s phone was unreachable throughout the day.