Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
LOCAL Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe has revealed that the second-hand clothing trade has been infiltrated by drug syndicates, who are using imported bales to smuggle drugs into Zimbabwe. This alarming development has prompted a sweeping ban on the sale of second-hand garments and night vending.
Minister Garwe stated that the decision, which follows last year’s prohibition on the importation of second-hand clothes, was driven by the urgent need to dismantle a criminal network that is not only fuelling drug abuse but also crippling Zimbabwe’s textile industry.
“The bales coming into the country are carrying drugs. It’s one of the routes being used to bring narcotics into
Zimbabwe, while some are even bringing in bed bugs. We witnessed this in Harare recently,” said Minister Garwe.
Addressing Bulawayo City Council (BCC) officials yesterday, the Minister said the trade has devastated the cotton industry, resulting in the loss of thousands of jobs — particularly in Bulawayo, once a hub for thriving textile firms.
He warned that the second-hand clothing market and night vending have become a front for an underworld cartel “dominated by drugs and substance abuse that is affecting our children.”
“It is those within the rank and file of vendors who are causing these problems. They are highly mobile, never operating from a fixed location, which makes them difficult to track,” he said, stressing that while the Government respects the economic contribution of vendors, it will not tolerate criminal infiltration.
“In October last year, through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Government banned the importation of second-hand clothes. Subsequently, the selling of second-hand clothes and night vending has also been banned.”
The Minister, accompanied by his deputy Albert Mavhunga, criticised the lax enforcement of Bulawayo’s by-laws, noting that none permit street vending or the sale of second-hand clothing. He pledged to seek Cabinet approval to empower local authorities to arrest offenders, but cautioned against the misuse of such powers.
“We are going to present a paper to Cabinet in a fortnight seeking approval for the capacitation of local authorities to carry out arrests. I am confident it will be approved because this issue affects everyone.
“As we gain that approval, let us not abuse it. Let us treat our vendors with the humanity they deserve. Our fight is not against vendors, but against the conduct taking place within that community. That is what we must eradicate,” he said.
Minister Garwe also took aim at “space barons” — shadowy figures who control vending sites and extort traders.
“We understand there are four types of individuals causing problems. Some may even be present here today. To those who are, we humbly ask that you stop what you are doing — collecting a dollar per day.
“From our calculations, this amounts to US$16 000 per day. There is another figure known as the space baron who also collects a dollar. Then there is one who operates under a political guise, and another who uses the face of the liberation struggle. We are here to deal with these individuals, but we need your help to help you,” he said.
The Minister’s call comes as Fifth Avenue in Bulawayo remains a hotspot for illegal vending, drug trafficking, and turf wars. He emphasised that dismantling this network will require united action from authorities, vendors, and communities.
