Online Reporter
Michelle Musandinyoze, [email protected]
The Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Organisation (BVTO) has called for the urgent completion of the long-awaited Egodini bus terminus and market hub to decongest the city centre, particularly along 6th Avenue, following a tragic accident that claimed the lives of two informal traders and left 17 others injured.
The call comes after a commuter omnibus reportedly crashed into vendors at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Lobengula Street on Wednesday night. The omnibus is reported to have suffered brake failure before ploughing into traders operating along the busy stretch.
In a statement, BVTO director Mr Michael Ndiweni said the organisation was shocked and saddened by the tragedy and stressed that decisive action was now overdue to prevent further loss of life.
He said BVTO was calling for the completion of market hubs such as the long-awaited Egodini Mall, a city-wide decongestion dialogue and decisive action involving the City of Bulawayo, Central Government, transport authorities, traders’ representatives and other relevant stakeholders.
“Proactive planning and enforcement that is humane and consultative, and the provision of alternative trading spaces can meaningfully reduce the severity of such tragic incidents,” he said.
BVTO said the heartbreaking incident exposed the extreme vulnerability faced daily by informal economy workers who earn their livelihoods in unsafe, unplanned and congested public spaces.
“While we acknowledge that road traffic accidents are sometimes inevitable due to multiple contributing factors, the continued absence of safe, decent and property designated trading spaces significantly increases the risk to lives and livelihoods,” he said.
The organisation also appealed for collective support for the affected families, noting that those who died and those injured were breadwinners.
“We further call upon stakeholders ,government, private sectors ,civil society and the public at large to come together in solidarity and provide support to the affected families as those who lost their lives and those injured were breadwinners working honestly to sustain their households .,” he said.
BVTO said it had pledged its full commitment to work with partners willing to offer any form of support — material, financial, psychosocial or otherwise — to the affected families. The organisation also expressed readiness to engage constructively with authorities and stakeholders in finding lasting, humane and sustainable solutions that safeguard both livelihoods and human life.
