Lloyd Shunje
Masvingo City Council (MCC) Director of Housing Mr Levison Nzvura said all vendors will be driven to Chitima flea market by tomorrow (26 June) where work is being done to accommodate more than 500 hundred informal traders.
Speaking at an Informal Traders meeting with vendors at Civic Center on Thursday, Nzvura said the council wanted all illegal traders to comply with the government directive to leave the streets by Friday 26 June.
“Work is being done at the new market site, and tomorrow people will be allocated their working space, however everyone should register through my office. At the moment 470 people have registered”, said Nzvura.
Masvingo Informal Traders Association (MITA) president Gilbert Chikwata said his members were ready to comply with the directive.
“It is no longer the time to continue fighting and demonstrate against the local government. It is high time we help develop our nation by restoring sanity and order in our city”, said Chikwata.
In an attempt avoid fighting and misunderstanding in the near future SMEs District Business Development Officer John Masvinu pleaded with the council to make use of lease agreements and ensure that the place is properly serviced.
“People will obey the deadline, however the council should make use of lease agreements that can be renewed so that in future there will not be any problems”, said Masvinu.
Masvingo Town Clerk Adolf Gusha
Masvingo Town Clerk Adolf Gusha said a $1 will be charged as daily rentals and further added that everyone will be moved in peace as they will be allocated to their working spaces at the new market site.
“We appreciate your coming to this meeting where we have resolved this issue in a peaceful manner. Let it be clear to everyone that a $1 will be charged as daily charges at the new market place”, said Gusha.
However, some vendors have since blasted Chikwata for misrepresenting them saying they were not going to leave the streets soon.
“Chikwata does not represent us. We were not invited to that meeting and tomorrow will be business as usual in the streets,” said a vendor who declined to be named.local
