The Sunday News
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
MORE than 400 vendors who were relocated to an unserviced space at Mkoba 6 Shopping Centre in Gweru are appealing to the local authority to urgently build more toilets and also service the area.
The vendors who deal in second-hand clothes and shoes, food items, and fresh produce were last month ordered to move from another unserviced place opposite Gweru Revenue Hall at Mkoba 6 Shopping Centre. The vendors who mostly rely on vending to feed their families, have no permanent structures.
Apart from the area being unserviced, there is no security and vendors leave their wares in the open at night. It was also observed that the vendors are not excising social distancing as they are placed haphazardly.
“When we were allocated stands opposite the council revenue hall, we were made to believe that we were going to see our rentals being channelled to the construction of ablution facilities. There were promises of better vending stalls. And on Sunday- we were shocked when they chased us to a worse place which doesn’t have anything. A health hazard is looming here because we are very crowded with no proper ablution facilities,” a vendor, Ms Cecelia Nyathi said.
Another vendor, Mr Tobias Munengwa said they have been removed from a space where there was tarmac to a place where they are sitting on dusty grounds.
“It’s all dusty here. It has been windy for the past three days and we have to contend with the bad weather,” said Mr Munengwa.
Another vendor said there are attempts by unscrupulous council employees to force them to go into unoccupied shops around Mkoba 6 Shopping Centre where rents are very high.
“Council charges us about US$40 per month each for the space. There are some shop owners that are attempting to have us forced to look for spaces and they are charging US$100 per month. We are saying no to such forms of force. We can’t be forced to move into these spaces which are expensive,” he said.
Gweru council spokesperson Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee said the vendors were aware that the first site they had been allocated was not permanent. She said the council had renovated the ablution block and some vending stalls to accommodate them.
“As council, we tried to make them comfortable and we will continue to do so,” she said.
Gweru Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe said they have successfully upgraded vending facilities in the city through partnerships with CASAS and Bentach Companies. He said the upgrading of vending facilities is ongoing at Kudzanayi Long Distance Bus Terminus, Ivene/Lundi rank, and Kombayi Wholesale Market.
“The Kudzanayi rank project which has changed the face of the city has been completed and trading bays are now ready for occupation. Upgrading of Ivene/Lundi rank is now at 65 percent and 58 bays will be available when the project is complete. This will provide decent trading facilities for Gweru people,” said Clr Makombe.
He said council was also upgrading of Kombayi Wholesale Market where state-of-the-art market stalls and a warehouse were being built for various farm produce.
“A total of 120 trading bays, one restaurant, one big farmer’s warehouse, and a public toilet will be available at Kombayi Wholesale Market. The project is at 66 percent and should be completed by the end of this month,” said Clr Makombe.
