Levison Nzvura
….as council moves to
improve conditions at shanty market
improve conditions at shanty market
Mukai
Musimwa
Musimwa
MASVINGO
–
City of Masvingo Housing and Community Services director Levison Nzvura has
said council will no longer allow free reign at Chitima market, and is designing
a plan to allocate stalls to identified individuals who will regularly pay
rentals to council.
–
City of Masvingo Housing and Community Services director Levison Nzvura has
said council will no longer allow free reign at Chitima market, and is designing
a plan to allocate stalls to identified individuals who will regularly pay
rentals to council.
In 2015, council lost
much control of the shanty market following politicised protests by informal
traders who felt council was milking them dry by collecting daily fees without
improving facilities.
much control of the shanty market following politicised protests by informal
traders who felt council was milking them dry by collecting daily fees without
improving facilities.
In an interview with
TellZim News, Nzvura said council was now moving to regularise business at the
market and come up with a database of people who will be allocated market
stalls.
TellZim News, Nzvura said council was now moving to regularise business at the
market and come up with a database of people who will be allocated market
stalls.
“We have been unable to
keep track of the exact number of people doing business there because there is
no consolidated database of traders. People come and occupy a stall for a day
or two and then go away. Nobody pays for the bays except for a few so council
is making huge losses there,” said Nzvura.
keep track of the exact number of people doing business there because there is
no consolidated database of traders. People come and occupy a stall for a day
or two and then go away. Nobody pays for the bays except for a few so council
is making huge losses there,” said Nzvura.
He said despite not
collecting much in terms of revenue from traders at the market, council was
still providing water, removing refuse and maintaining the toilets.
collecting much in terms of revenue from traders at the market, council was
still providing water, removing refuse and maintaining the toilets.
“We have done a lot to make sure conditions there
are good but sometimes the people themselves make a mess of their own market.
People use the strangest of objects in the toilets leading to blockages, and
it’s council that has to unblock them despite that most of the very same people
do not pay anything to use the market,” said Nzvura.
are good but sometimes the people themselves make a mess of their own market.
People use the strangest of objects in the toilets leading to blockages, and
it’s council that has to unblock them despite that most of the very same people
do not pay anything to use the market,” said Nzvura.
He said council
expected to complete the rationalisation of the clothing section of the market
first before moving on to the vegetable side.
expected to complete the rationalisation of the clothing section of the market
first before moving on to the vegetable side.
“There are about 700
bays there and we want to know who owns which bay so that we can make follow
ups in terms of rentals. We will then use the money collected to improve
facilities and put a good shade starting with the vegetable section. We want a
proper market where people can go and shop with confidence,” said Nzvura.
bays there and we want to know who owns which bay so that we can make follow
ups in terms of rentals. We will then use the money collected to improve
facilities and put a good shade starting with the vegetable section. We want a
proper market where people can go and shop with confidence,” said Nzvura.
He encouraged market
users and members of the public to contribute to cleaner surroundings by
avoiding littering and illegal dumping of garbage.
users and members of the public to contribute to cleaner surroundings by
avoiding littering and illegal dumping of garbage.
