The Sunday News
THE decision by the Government to give illegal vendors operating on the streets of the country’s major urban areas a reprieve by moving the ultimatum to relocate them to designated sites from tomorrow to 26 June should not be taken as a sign of weakness on the part of authorities, but as a sympathetic gesture that gives the informal traders time to organise themselves.
Addressing a Press conference on Friday in Harare, the Minister of Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development, Cde Sithembiso Nyoni, said Cabinet had come up with a position paper outlining how illegal vending should be addressed.
She said as from 26 June, anybody who is not registered and has no card, has no vendor number and no vendor site would not be allowed on the streets starting with Harare. Minister Nyoni said the illegal vendors, who recently flooded the streets of urban areas, were now expected to be formally registered and those still interested in the trade would then move to designated places.
Minister Nyoni also took the time to acknowledge that the influx of vendors in the central business districts across the country was a symptom and result of economic problems facing the country as the formal economy alone had no capacity to absorb the skilled and unskilled labour. While we agree that the sprouting of illegal vending across the country is to do with the economic challenges we are going through as a nation, at the same time we find the wanton setting up of wares by the vendors all over the streets of our towns and cities nauseating.
Although it is a fact that street vending is one of the major activities of the informal economy found in major urban areas all over the world including in the so-called developed countries, it is disappointing that of late street vending in Zimbabwe has become a public nuisance as these traders, which in some circles are called survivalist entrepreneurs have made walking in the central business districts of Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru, to just mention a few of our urban areas, sheer agony for both shoppers and pedestrians.
This is despite the fact that our Government that has a brilliant reputation of having pro-poor policies has over the years been putting formal market infrastructure across the country so that vendors can trade in an orderly, safe and conducive environment. But the vendors in their own questionable wisdom decided to take their trade right onto the doorsteps of major banks and big chain supermarkets in the process giving a bad impression of our cities.
We believe that if the vendors are finally moved to designated areas, such a move will avoid vices such as pick pocketing, congestion and the outbreak of diseases caused by poor sanitation.
What should be driven home is that the removal of vendors from the streets has nothing to do with the politics of the day and we find it worrying that political dunderheads in the ranks of perennial political failure outfits such as MDC-T want to make an issue out of this necessary exercise. We also want to take this opportunity to warn vendor associations that they should not mix politics with this exercise as at the end of the day they would be losers. As for the reprieve the vendors have to thank their stars, they have a Government that has people at heart.
It should be noted that what these traders are doing is breaking the law in daylight and such actions do not call for ultimatums or negotiations but simply enforcement of the law. It is therefore only a Government that has people at heart that gives lawbreakers a chance to organise and correct themselves.
It is against this background that we urge the vendors to start moving from the streets in the central business districts and take the advice of the Government seriously to regularise their activities. Everyone should bear in mind that the Government’s decision is motivated by the need to create a conducive environment, promote better health prospects and increase security in the CBDs as well as protect businesses that are paying taxes and other user fees.
However, the authorities should also play their part by moving the vendors to areas that have enough water supplies, proper sanitary facilities and are strategically positioned for business opportunities.
