Friday, 14 March 2025

WE WILL HELP DRIVE VENDORS OFF THE STREETS : COPS

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) stands ready to collaborate with municipal security and other security agencies across the country’s towns and cities to clear vendors from the streets. This decisive action follows a 48-hour ultimatum issued by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe on Wednesday.

The directive comes in response to a significant surge in night vending over recent months, which has led to increased pedestrian traffic, widespread littering, and disruption to established businesses operating within central business districts.

“The ZRP stands ready to assist municipalities and towns to enforce the ultimatum given to vendors by the Government. No one is above the law and ZRP will make sure that vendors abide by the laws of the country,” said national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi.

In the past, council police in cities such as Bulawayo and Harare, alongside the ZRP, have engaged in running battles with illegal vendors in attempts to clear them from central business districts.

Commissioner Nyathi emphasised that there will be no preferential treatment in the vendor clean-up across all municipalities and towns. The ZRP, working in conjunction with municipal police and other security agencies, will enforce the Government directive without exception.

In Bulawayo, vendors are a persistent problem in several streets, including Fort Street and the corner of Leopold Takawira Street, opposite Tredgold Building, where they sell cooked food to overnight travellers to Harare, as well as taxi drivers and touts. Sixth Avenue has also become a problematic area, transforming into a haven for illegal vendors selling cooked food, beef products, chicken cuts, and even illicit alcohol.

Vendors have also encroached upon the corner of Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street and Fifth Avenue, where shoppers queue for dairy products such as yoghurt, milk, and amasi, as well as juices.

Opposite TM/Pick n Pay Hyper, the area becomes a hive of activity as darkness falls, with numerous vendors descending onto street pavements to sell groceries and second-hand clothes. At the corner of Leopold Takawira and Herbert Chitepo, vendors selling sneakers, vegetables, bread, and eggs on street pavements feel secure once municipal police finish their shift at 5PM.

Bulawayo City Council has announced that vendors operating illegally will be allocated vending bays at Egodini Terminus and the Bhaktas’ Taxi Rank along Lobengula Street.

“For the last two months, council has been working on modalities to relocate illegal vendors to bays at Egodini Terminus and Bhaktas’ Taxi Rank where there are enough vending bays. The ultimatum by Government to clear all illegal vendors came at the right time and council will abide by the directive.

“In the next few hours (yesterday evening) council municipal police chiefs will be meeting other security agencies to work out how the Government directive will be enforced. Illegal vending is a scourge that brings with it chaos in the city, makes driving in the streets a nightmare and causes a lot of littering, which is unhealthy,” said Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Councillor Edwin Ndlovu.

Minister Garwe highlighted that illegal vending perpetuates unsanitary conditions as vendors operate in areas without potable water and ablution facilities.

“The unsanitary conditions pose significant risks for disease outbreaks such as typhoid, dysentery and cholera. Furthermore, the accumulation of waste from these vendors has rendered some roads, sanitary lanes, and sidewalks impassable, exacerbating public health and security issues.

“In light of these pressing issues, the Government is directing all local authorities to clear vendors from undesignated points within 48 hours. During this operation, local authorities will be supported by law enforcement agents to ensure the maintenance of law and order,” said Minister Garwe.

Minister Garwe reiterated the Government’s commitment to creating a safe, clean, and orderly environment for all citizens.

“In the matrix of small to medium enterprises, even in our laws, there is no provision for night trading in our cities.

There is no room for creating capacity for night vendors. Zimbabwe is an economy which operates during the day so we are not going to create a night economy which is driving hate, drug abuse, illicit deals and a lot of ugly issues. For our vendors who operate during the day, we have existing facilities where they can go and operate from,” he said. Chronicle

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