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Yeukai Karengezeka Municipal Correspondent
Since the advent of wheeler dealers in Harare, some parts of the city have gained notoriety because of illicit activities that take place there.
One such place is the former Ximex Mall’s environs, the area bordered by Jason Moyo Avenue, Angwa Street and Inez Terrace.
In its day, Ximex Mall used to house the Duly’s car showroom before the owner, the late property mogul Sam Levy, converted it first into a department store and then a shopping mall.
From around 2008, the mall, which used to house shops that sold designer wear such as South Central, trendy hair salons and Internet cafes, was commonly referred to as the dealer’s paradise after it was invaded by illegal foreign currency dealers and traders of phones, Ipads, laptops and other electronic gadgets.
The mall was demolished in 2015 whereupon the proprietors converted it into a car park.
Former tenants, did not disappear after the change of use. Instead, they took up positions around the car park and continued with their trade.
This resulted in a free for all as all sorts of things are being sold there from liquor to drugs and cars.
Gamblers have also come on stream and they openly ply their trade there under the cover of darkness, at night.
Those who wash cars and those who conduct sales from the boots of their cars have also joined the bandwagon.
All these activities present challenges to pedestrians and motorists alike.
Pedestrians, especially women are sometimes abused as they walk past and it is difficult to walk on the pavements because they are usually congested.
Some areas around the park stink because due to the absence of toilets, traders relieve themselves in the open.
For motorists, congestion is a headache.
Some of the wheelers and dealers operating around the area are making rich pickings and drive top-of-the-range vehicles which are sometimes double or triple parked, rendering the adjacent roads impassable.
Most flashy cars, which are parked throughout the day, are not registered and do not pay parking fees.
All this is happening under the nose of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Municipal police and Harare City’s parking officials.
Businesspeople operating close by feel hard done because they pay rates and parking fees, while the dealers enjoy the facilities free of charge.
A businessman operating close to the area, who preferred to be identified only as Mr Maranga, queried why City Parking was reluctant to collect money from the dealers.
“I have been operating here for some time and we have noted with great concern how the City Parking officials give them preferential treatment. They do not pay for parking yet they are very strict with us to an extent that if you fail to pay your car gets clamped? There is something fishy about this whole thing.”
City Parking public relations manager Mr Francis Mandaza confirmed that they are failing to collect money from the dealers who have become a law unto themselves.
“It is true that we are not collecting money from that area, but it is not because we have an arrangement with them. There is general lawlessness around the area,” he said.
“We have on numerous occasions sought the services of ZRP and reported cases of violence and abuse against our staff.
“It is an issue that calls for urgent joint efforts and we will not rest until we reclaim that space and make it operational just like any other areas.”
There are also allegations that municipal police are taking bribes from the dealers.
Harare City Council’s principal communications officer Mr Innocent Ruwende shot down the allegations, saying council was working with the police to restore order.
“We have a joint operation with ZRP whereby we are carrying out some blitz at such hotspots. These include Ximex Mall, Highfield and Glen View.
“We have carried out such exercises before on Ximex but the scourge keeps on resurfacing.
“Some of the challenges are as a result of the current economic challenges we are facing as a country. The people are trying to make a living hence they always resurface after our operations,” he said.
Police spokesperson for Harare Province Assistant Inspector Webster Dzvova said police has embarked on a vigorous cleaning exercise of the city and not just at Ximex Mall.
“We have embarked on a serious operation of ensuring that we get rid of all social vices that have been happening in the city,” he said.
Ass Insp Dzvova said police would continue raiding the place until sanity prevails.
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