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to the Bulawayo City Council.
The cash strapped local authority agreed to charge the vendors who roast mealies at the terminus for each bay for them to carry out their activities. There would be one vendor at each bay.
According to the latest council report, the decision comes after repeated requests by vendors who were illegally roasting mealies at Basch Street Terminus, popularly known as Egodini to have their activities legalised.
The idea was welcomed and recommended by different council departments.
The report further states that over the years, the raids by Municipal Police had not deterred the vendors from carrying on with their activities thereby prompting the council to find alternative ways.
“The vendors were roasting mealies within Egodini Bus Terminus and this might result in the degradation of pavements and congestion and blocking of walkways into the terminus,” read the report.
Heads of different departments made recommendations noting that roasting of mealies was bringing in challenges to the council, which was already facing financial constraints.
The director of health services, Dr Zanele Hwalima, said roasting of mealies was littering the streets.
“Roasting of mealies like any other vending activity came with a lot of challenges namely generating a lot of refuse in the form of husks and ashes. Given the challenges the city is facing in solid waste management, this might further strain resources,” said Dr Hwalima.
She said if allowed to continue, the activity would also cause illegal cooking of mealies and suggested that the activity be carried out in residential sites other than in the central business district.
The director of engineering services, Engineer Simela Dube, said regularising the activity would create employment.
However, a massive raid by municipal police to force hundreds of these vendors is on the cards to regularise their business.
After paying, each vendor would be given a bay from where he or she would do business.
In an interview yesterday, Mayor Councillor Thaba Moyo, said the decision would be implemented soon.
He said the city fathers were concerned that thousands of Bulawayo residents were jobless following the closure of close to 100 companies and were now living on vending.
“Starting this month all activities at Egodini will be legalised. We have noticed that chasing around and raiding people does not work, people have to pay,” said Clr Moyo.
Online Reporter