Chronicle Editor
Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
GOVERNMENT has implored vendors and small-scale traders to continue observing the laid down Covid-19 guidelines to ensure public safety as well as keeping their businesses operational.
Women Affairs, Community and Small to Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Minister, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, who engaged vendors and traders at Sokusile Shopping Centre and Lobengula Street in Bulawayo, said she was pleased with compliance levels in the city.
Registered SMEs and informal sectors have among other sectors been granted essential service status by the Government, which allows them to operate under strict Covid-19 protocols.
“We requested to the President that traders should not be closed down during this Covid-19 induced lockdown. I’m here in Bulawayo today accompanied by the Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Honourable Judith Ncube amid this Covid-19 contagion, that is claiming lives,” said Dr Nyoni.
“A total lockdown is one of the means to contain the spread of the disease but, if the informal traders are disregarded from operating during this gruelling period, families will starve.
“It’s in this context that we’re here today as your ministers to plead with you to cooperate by continuing to observe strict laid down Covid-19 guidelines as prescribed by the Government and WHO (World Health Organisation) so that you are permitted to carry on with your activities during this pandemic era.
“I am excited that I have found you operating, observing the strict laid down Covid-19 guidelines the Government has pronounced,” said the minister.
President Mnangagwa recently imposed national lockdown Level 4 in a bid to contain the rising Covid-19 infections. Under Level 4 lockdown, businesses operate from 8AM and close at 3.30PM. The shorter business hours were designed to allow workers and businesspeople to adhere to the dawn to dusk curfew, which is between 6.30PM and 6AM.
The President has also directed employers to decongest workplaces by allowing at least 25 percent of their staff to work from site with the rest working from home. In addition, businesses should ensure their workers mask up, observe social distancing, as well as sanitising to maintain strict hygiene standards.
“As your minister, I stood on your behalf so that you are permitted to operate during this Level 4 lockdown because I know you as responsible people, you adhere to the laid down protocols. Thus, I’m happy that your premises here are clean and you are observing social distancing on your stalls and your customers don’t allow them to be complacent,” said Dr Nyoni.
Speaking at the same occasion, Minister Ncube commended the vendors for adhering to the Covid-19 protocols.
“I would like to thank you for the good gesture that you have shown as far as complying with the laid down Covid-19 protocols so that you are not barred from undertaking your operations during this trying period,” she said.
“Let’s continue adherence to the laid down rules and regulations. Daily we are recording at least 12 deaths related to Covid-19 complications here in Bulawayo, the other day the city had over 300 positive cases and it calls for strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols such as observing social distancing.
“Even at gatherings like funerals let people observe the laid down guidelines because a dark cloud has befallen us as a country and the world over.”
Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) president Mr Alec Ndlovu thanked the two ministers for visiting the vendors and traders.
“We are happy by the ministers’ visits here (Sokusile market). One thing that I am concerned with are the potholes here,” he said.
“We are appealing for support from Government through her (Dr Nyoni) ministry to have the local authority rehabilitate the trading sites.
We need the trading sites across the city to have all-weather stalls so that we can work under any weather conditions.”
After the tour of Sokusile market, the ministers visited Lobengula Street market near Egodini where they relayed the same messages.
Bulawayo Upcoming Traders Association secretary-general, Mr Dumisani Ncube, commended the Government for its efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.
“As an association, we are a law-abiding organisation and minister you may pass through this market place after 3.30PM, those that you will see selling their wares here, are those that we call illegal vendors,” he said. — @okazunga
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