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Blessings Chidakwa
Municipal Correspondent
Informal traders must maintain the order and cleanliness that has been prevailing in Harare during the lockdown period, Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province Oliver Chidawu has said.
Pavements in Harare’s city centre were congested by vendors, but in the last 10 weeks have been open and orderly and Minister Chidawu wants the gains maintained.
“We applaud our council for cleaning workspaces. It was unbearable that one would cook sadza in First Street Mall, the centre of the city centre,” he said.
“Street vendors should operate from designated sites. Markets should observe social distance and cleanliness.
“On the other hand illegal pirate taxis commonly referred to as mushikashika was a menace. Let us observe the rule of law.”
Space barons had also seized control of pavements, stalls and open spaces.
Minister Chidawu said one space baron in Machipisa had over 200 vendors filling his pockets.
“Space barons continue to be a challenge. The barons are members of political parties and have been refusing to heed calls,” he said.
“We are saying that is a thing of the past everyone is supposed to pay to council.”
Farmers’ markets and vegetable vendors received early exemptions and the informal industrial sector came back into operation a little later, with opening conditions being set.
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