Gweru clears vending stalls

Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
GWERU City Council has cleared all vending stalls in the Central Business District (CBD) and long-distance bus terminus and has relocated local bus terminuses to the periphery of the CBD.

The local authority responded to the Government directive to clear all vending sites in the CBD as part of the multifaceted interventions to minimise human traffic in an endeavour to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Gweru Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe told Sunday News last week that the relocation of vending and flea market stalls and subsequent demolition of structures was also part of the local authority’s long-term plans to remove vendors from the CBD.

“We got a directive from Cabinet to clear all vending sites in the CBD. We have complied and we are moving all the stalls after we gave people amble time to clear their wares.

“We are relocating vendors to Mtapa high density suburb. We have areas such a TM bus terminus where there were vending and flea market stalls. That rank has been permanently closed and all the vendors and public transport operators who were there have been permanently removed.

“At Kudzanayi Long Distance Bus Terminus we have also removed all vending and flea market stalls and transformed the area into the Zupco bus terminus. It used to be a Zupco bus terminus before and now we are handing the terminus back to the public transport operator because it has resumed its operations in local routes,” he said.

Clr Makombe said work to construct new vending stalls outside the CBD was already under way where all the vendors and other informal traders will be relocated after the lockdown.

“The whole purpose of the move is to upgrade our city to meet standards of a smart city. Those affected will be re-allocated stalls in Mtapa and this new market place will be ready after the lockdown.

“The TM bus terminus was sold to a private player a long time ago and the owner now wants to develop the area. This means all kombis and vendors there will not be returning,” he said.

Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs, Senator Larry Mavima said the clearing of the vending markets and flea market stalls was done in consultation with the provincial Covid-19 taskforce.

“This is not being done in Gweru alone. All towns and cities in the province are complying with this directive.

“Vending markets are considered to be a window for the spread of Covid-19 as most people flock to these areas to purchase vegetables. So, the idea is to make proper hygienic structures so that we reduce the risk,” he said.