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Crime Reporter
Harare City Council has warned that the old stables at the Borrowdale Racecourse cannot continue to be used as a food market because they do not meet the minimum health standards required in terms of the city by-laws.
This comes after the operators have continued to use them illegally as a weekend market since mid-January.
Harare North legislator (MDC Alliance) Mr Alan Norman Rusty Markham, however claimed that the issue had been resolved with the authorities and the market was allowed to operate.
Since January 16, there have been more than 60 vendors operating during the weekends selling fruits and other agricultural produce, with the vendors reportedly being charged US$10 for a table per day to sell from the site.
Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme said the ban still stood and the market was not supposed to operate until requirements were met.
“The ban is still effective, so we encourage them not to reopen until they meet the requirements,” he said.
Recently, the city’s Health Services Department responded to Mrs Vicky Ann Bowen who was the applicant for a food purveyors licence trading as Old Stables Market at the racecourse.
“I refer you to my letters addressed to you dated 10 June, 2020; 02 February 2021; and 25 February 2021 whereby you were operating a market without the requisite licences against your application for a food purveyors licence.
“May you be advised that for you to lodge an application with the City Health Department you need to be in possession of a town planning permit for change of use from the existing use of the premises to the one you intend to operate; approved plans of the premises with the new change of use; and to submit an application to the City of Health Department for the particular business you intend to operate for you to be given requirements in writing only after complying with 1 and 2 above,” reads part of the letter signed by Health Services Director Dr Prosper Chonzi.
He further stated that it was not possible for Mrs Bowen’s to operate the market before complying with the requirements, .
“Please be advised each application for a particular business is considered on its own merit.
“This office wishes to reiterate that it is illegal to operate a business without the requisite licences.”
The response was copied to the chamber secretary, the director of Urban Planning and the police licensing department.
Mr Markham insisted that the issue had been resolved contrary to indications from council.
“The issue with the Old Stables Market has been resolved with the City of Harare for the meantime. The city was very slow in responding initially.
“However they had a site meeting with the vendors and by mutual agreement, they agreed that the market could open and various issues that were pertaining could be handled while they continued as a market. So the 65 to 70 vendors can continue.
“The issue with Old Stables Market will be resolved. Dr Chonzi, the Harare City Council Health Services Director and a Mr Mutetwa were all there during the meeting with vendors and were very positive about sorting out whatever issues there could be and so the market has been opened to my knowledge for the last two weeks.
“It must be noted that the market is opened one day a week and it is by far the most hygienic market in Harare,” he said.
He said his concern as a legislator and as a resident in the area was that it supplied sources of income to the vendors and it was very popular with the local population.
“My issues are and I have stated categorically that the same principles that have been applied to Old Stables Market must be applied to all the markets.
“We can’t have a situation where they close the market until all the regulations are sorted out.
“They must give leeway for the market to operate,” said Mr Markham said.
Since June last year, the businesspeople have been pushing for permits to be allowed to operate a market at the racecourse.
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