Bahadur Centre is one of the 187 businesses that have been
closed by Gweru City Council over non-payment of water bills and other service
charges.
On Tuesday, Gweru City Council embarked on an operation to
shut down businesses that owe it and 40 shops at Bahadur Centre were affected.
Bahadur Centre owes council more than $60 million .
The centre, located along Emmerson Mnangagwa Way formerly
known as First Street in the central business district, is a haven for illegal
street dealers.
There are beauty salons, electrical shops and clothing
shops at the centre which is arguably the busiest and most popular in Gweru.
There was pandemonium at the centre as council workers
carrying chains and locks closed down the shops.
When the Chronicle arrived at the centre, some dealers were
milling outside still “hustling” while those who operate hair salons appeared
stranded following the closure of their shops.
In interviews, some tenants said they approached the real
estate company that runs the building for a way forward.
“For now, some are stranded, yes but we have been assured
that in no time, the shops will be reopened,” said one dealer.
Another tenant who operates a cellphone shop said: “We have
been paying our bills through the estate agent (name supplied), but we were
therefore shocked when we were told that we are in arrears.”
The tenant said said many of them lost a lot of business
following thwe closure of theuir shops.
Gweru City Council public relations officer Ms Vimbai
Chingwaramusee said many businesses had been forced to close over non-payment
of rates, water and other charges.
She said the shops that were closed were not paying their
bills hence their debts were ballooning.
“We visited 394 businesses and 187 were closed. We have
been closing shops in town, especially those businesses that owe us a lot of
money,” she said.
Ms Chingwaramusee
urged businesses to regularly pay their bills to avoid such inconveniences. Chronicle
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