Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
VENDORS at Mtapa market, the busiest market in Gweru, have urged council to urgently provide them with water and ablution facilities as it begins regularising operations.
The Mtapa market was established in March 2020 following a Cabinet directive to local authorities to decongest vending places in line with Covid-19 regulations.
Some vendors from Kudzanayi Long Distance Bus Terminus and Kombayi Fresh Produce market were then relocated to an open space opposite Mtapa Police Station..
Government directed local authorities to take advantage of the Covid-19 lockdown to restore order in towns and cities.
There are more than 2 000 vendors dealing in fresh produce, clothes and hardware at the new market.
Unfortunately, council is still to construct ablution facilities or supply the market with running water, a development that has seen vendors hiring movable toilets.
The local authority has started collecting revenue from vendors at the market in a move aimed at regularising operations and providing effective service delivery.
Zimbabwe Chamber for Small-to-Medium Enterprises Gweru chapter chairperson Mr Tafadzwa Mazorodze urged council to quickly provide water and construct ablution facilities for the vendors.
“Working at Mtapa market is actually a health hazard because there are no toilets and running water. Vendors bring their own water and have been hiring movable toilets. At one time they would pay RTGS180 per week to use the toilet.
There are thousands of residents visiting the market and therefore the need for it to be user-friendly,” he said.
Mr Mazorodze said they wanted council to regularise operations at the market for effective service delivery.
Midlands Vendors Association (MVA) chairperson, Mrs Angeline Zivanai said vendors welcomed the council’s revenue collection process.
“We welcome the move by council to regularise Mtapa market bays but we have a few conditions which we want council to address, we want proper toilets and running water,” she said.
“It is mandatory for the local authority to generate revenue to sustain the provision of water and refuse collection as well.”
She said vendors have been hiring toilets and water tanks for use.
“We are hiring toilets and 1 000-litre tanks for us to be able to operate here, so on the toilets, we are paying US$180 per week as each vendor is contributing $1 per day. Now council says it wants to charge us then it’s okay if only they are able to construct the toilets and provide water,” said Ms Zivanai.
Meanwhile, during the last council meeting, council said it was in the process of registering and collecting revenue from the vendors at the market.
In his presentation, Health and Housing chairperson, Ward 18 Councillor John Manyundwa said there was a need to regularise the operations at Mtapa market so that the local authority generates revenue.
“Council has engaged the vendors and they have expressed their willingness to pay provided that we will offer stalls. Vendors have highlighted that they don’t want to be dispersed. We are in the process of regulating them so that we get something there otherwise we might end up on the losing side,” he said.
Ward 13 Councillor, Catherine Mhondiwa said there was the need for the council to create bays so as to maintain order.
Gweru Mayor Josiah Makombe said council is in the process of constructing ablution facilities for the vendors at Mtapa market.
“It is the busiest market in town at the moment and we need to regularise operations there, we need to improve service delivery so that we collect revenue,” he said.
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