Online Reporter
Diana Nherera
THE City of Harare’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Committee is investigating circumstances surrounding the issuance of 48-hour eviction orders to traders operating at Kuwadzana Home Industry by the council.
The evictions were expected to pave the way for the establishment of residential stands in the area.
The committee’s chairperson, Councillor Denford Ngadziore, said they had not approved any proposal to convert the Kuwadzana Home Industry site into residential stands.
He said there is currently no resolution or recommendation from the committee authorising the change of land use, adding that investigations are underway to establish what transpired.
“Our focus is on creating more planned trading spaces for SMEs rather than displacing hundreds of traders to create only a few residential stands,” he said in a statement.
“Such a move would threaten livelihoods and undermine efforts to support the informal sector.”
Cllr Ngadziore said he has engaged the chairperson of the Housing committee, Cllr Muroyiwa, and the acting director of urban planning, Mr Nyabeza, to ensure that, if any approval was granted or is currently being processed, it is reviewed and, where possible, reversed to protect the livelihoods of affected SME traders.
