Staff Reporter
In a bold move, Zaka Rural District Council (RDC) recently took significant strides in transforming its Central Business District (CBD) after successfully relocating pirate vehicles from illegal loading bays scattered around the growth point.
The local authority managed also to remove all vendors from the CBD to the new market behind the Rank and removed all hailers outside shops leaving the CBD less congested.
Zak RDC Chief Executive officer David Majaura said they used an oppotunity after the government gave an order to councils to clear the CBD of vendors from undesignated places.
“After the government announcement, we made some stakeholder engagements including vendor committees, transporters committees, business owners and the law enforcement agents especially ZRP which gave us support.
They are still supporting us even now to enforce compliance since at times some vendors get back after hours especially at Bilcro,” said Majaura.
He said they went on to provide trading sites and they local authority was still putting up essential amenities like water and ablution facilities among others.
“After the stakeholder engagement, we provided trading sites where we are putting essential amenities and we have seen positive results and improved orderliness.
He said on vending they managed to control of trading, ensuring that no banned or illicit drugs and substances are sold as well as reduction of unfair competition between formal and informal traders.
He added that the move also saw improved waste management practices, working places for informal traders, improved revenue for council translating into improved service delivery.
Speaking to TellZim News, Zaka ward 19 (Jerera) councilor Albert Mazvanya concurred with Majaura and said the move was bearing fruits as the local authority was getting revenue from commuters who pay for using the rank.
“Council managed to move all vehicles to the rank which was now being used by buses only with Kombis and other pirate vehicles using illegal bays dotted around the growth point.
“The move has increased revenue inflow as all the vehicles pay to use the rank. It has also decongested the CBD where pirate taxis were always running around picking and dropping off people at undesignated places,” said Mazvanya.
He however said they were yet to provide sheds and propers stall for vendors for them to be able to collect rates from them and said the local authority was working on that.
The development could be emulated by town and city councils like Masvingo City which has been failing to move traffic to Mucheke Rank for a very long time.
Council also failed to move vendors from shop verandas who are making them impassable at times.
