adminElizabeth Tsuro Midlands Reporter
GWERU City Council has ordered more than 2,000 vendors at Kudzanayi Bus Terminus to move out of the rank today or face eviction. In a notice placed at the rank yesterday, the GCC said the vendors’ illegal structures would also be demolished.
“This notice serves to advice all illegal traders plying their trade at Kudzanayi bus terminus that their activities are illegal and they should move out. Council is going to demolish all illegal structures at Kudzanayi starting on March 17, 2016. Kindly remove your illegal tuck-shops, ecocash, soft drinks cabins and illegal kitchens,” reads part of the notice.
Gweru Acting Town Clerk Edgar Mwedzi said there is a proposed vending site in the city for vendors.
“There is a proper vending site near Swift area, which is close to the Central Business District that we have prepared for them and they get to pay $1 per day as their renting fees. Those who want legal trading space should contact the council before it’s too late,” he said.
Mwedzi said illegal traders who were operating at the bus terminus were disturbing bus operations in the area.
“Vendors have been operating at Kudzanai Rank but nowadays they are too many and are now putting up their structures where buses should operate from, so it is better they vacate. Those who cook and sell food at the terminus are also posing a public health hazard and we can’t let them do that because as a council our concern is to protect the residents,” he said.
The acting chairperson of the Gweru Hawkers and Vendors Association, Lovemore Tingati, said they were not going anywhere as council had not allocated them vending sites.
“We have nowhere to go and they are saying move out. To where? These people are not considerate at all. We have over 2,000 people here some of whom started vending at this rank 40 years ago. We got independence while operating from here and from nowhere we are being pushed out. We call upon the government to intervene,” he said.
Online Reporter