Minister comes face-to-face with downtown tuckshops

Precious Manomano-Herald Reporter

The informal sector needs to be developed to ensure basic commodities are tradable in a safe and healthy environment, with the businesses being properly licenced and willing to accept payment in local currency and other currencies, Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Sithembiso Nyoni has said.

Speaking during a tour of small retail businesses in central Harare yesterday, Minister Nyoni said it was important that all business was licenced. 

“That’s why I got all stakeholders with me so that we can interface and come up with a win-win situation,” she said. 

“We are learning a lot about the dynamics of this sector.”

Minister Nyoni said the idea was not to victimise those in business, but to ensure that processes were done properly and in a transparent manner that gave dignity to the country.

“We have seen a lot of food stuffs that are on the floor,” she said. 

“We are also checking if the health or environment or the way food stuffs are being sold is alright, and we are here also with Zimra to see if things are being done properly. 

“We want something that is sustainable, something that gives dignity to our country, something that maintains our real value chain.

“There are businesses that are shunning local currency. We must value our own currency. We must try and use it with pride. Let’s also use the Zimbabwean dollar. Let’s use both currencies.’’

Mr Runanika Alex, who is from DRC, said he is operating a retail shop in the city centre. 

“I started to operate in 2009 and I was given the licence by the City of Harare to operate in the CBD. I was staying at Tongogara Refugee camp, but so far all is going well and my business is striving very well,’’ he said.

Mrs Tariro Mureya, a vendor, said it was difficult to formalise their business because of the many licences required.

“We need safe places to sell our goods and services, but is it difficult for us to engage in proper processes. Procedures of getting a licence is long and we can not afford that,’’ she said.