Upenyu Chaota
MASVINGO – Masvingo City Council has once again lost the war against disorder in the Central Business District (CBD) and elsewhere with illegal traders having now totally recolonised the pavements and street corners barely a year after it successfully sent them to designated vending sites.
There is also an unprecedented rise in illegal house stores in Masvingo’s high density suburbs as people try to eke out a living in a desolate economy.
Masvingo mayor Hubert Fidze said council was worried by the sharp increase of vendors in the CBD and authorities were trying to negotiate friendly terms with the vendors to map the way forward.
“It is a worrisome problem. The economy is bad hence the continuous influx of vendors onto the CBD pavements. Vending has become the only source of income for many and that is why we have this problem today. There are no jobs and the writing is on the wall for everyone to see. People have resorted to honest means of survival but some of them are selling their wares at undesignated sites,” Fidze said.
“We are trying to come to a negotiating table with the vendors so that we can agree on the friendliest of terms on the way forward. We do not want to apply brute force on the vendors. Our municipal police often run operations to chase them out but they always come back. That is why we need an ever lasting solution,” he added.
Fidze said council will also take action against the house stores which are now a very common sight in all high density residential areas.
“People have also resorted to house stores which operate outside the regulations of council. As the council, we sat and deliberated on the matter and action will be taken soon,” said Fidze.news
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