dyton mupawaenda
Patrick Chitumba-Midlands Bureau Chief
IN the heart of Mtapa suburb in Gweru, lies an effervescent hub known as the Mtapa Market, a place where desires and necessities converge. Whether you’re on the hunt for fresh fruits and vegetables, second-hand clothes, or traditional remedies, this market has it all.
Every day, hundreds of people from all walks of life flock to Mtapa, each with a unique purpose. The atmosphere crackles with energy as traders, undaunted by the morning chill, prepare for a day of commerce beneath the unforgiving sun. In this world, time is a precious commodity, and idle chatter is a luxury.
Established in 2020, Mtapa Market has become a melting pot for vendors from as far as Chipinge and Gokwe. They come here to offer their wares, ranging from bananas and sweet potatoes to potatoes and more, to the local buyers who have made this market their home.
The vendors at Mtapa were once based at Kudzanayi long-distance bus terminus and Kombayi fresh produce market. This relocation came in the wake of the City of Gweru’s decision to demolish illegal structures at vending sites, including Kudzanayi, Kombayi, and TM local bus terminus. The move was part of a broader strategy to combat the spread of Covid-19, addressing unsanitary conditions and illegal structures.
The Government had envisioned that the local authority would revamp the market, providing new vending stalls, ablution facilities, and running water. However, this vision remains unfulfilled. Despite the lack of proper amenities — no ablution facilities, no running water, and no vending stalls — Mtapa Market continues to thrive.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Mtapa Market is the most sought-after trading place in Gweru, offering a wide array of goods and produce. For vendors, it costs about US$2 a day to set up shop. Visitors can find fresh produce from Manicaland and Masvingo provinces, and prices and quantities for items like tomatoes, cabbages, carrots, and sweet potatoes are deftly negotiated with middlemen and stallholders.
Once deals are sealed, trucks arrive to unload the fruit, vegetables, and other products, and money changes hands. This bustling marketplace is not limited to just food; it also offers poultry, leather goods, factory-made items, clothing, herbs, medicines, arts and crafts.
Tinei Masango from Mtapa suburb said he comes to the market at least twice a month to buy fresh produce for his family. “You find prices are very reasonable at Mtapa Market and for that reason I come here twice a month for fresh produce. There are thousands of fresh produce dealers and that gives them competition which works to our advantage,” he said.
For those who love pre-loved clothes, this is the place to be and there is variety because of the many traders who have made shift vending stalls. The vending stalls go as far as the eye can see.
Second-hand clothes, popularly known as “mabhero”, continue to find their way into the market because there are clients like Maria Ncube from Southdowns who is now a regular at Mtapa Market. How the bales of second-hand clothes find their way here is a story for another day — but the bottom line is that Mtapa Market is the place to be for second-hand clothes.
“There are many people selling mabhero here, meaning one is spoilt for choice. And with many sellers, prices are negotiated and it becomes cheap. So I am one of the people who love this market for that. Many of these traders have opened WhatsApp groups where they tell us when they have a new order and that makes it easier for us,” said Ncube.
There are also those who sell empty plastic containers and or drums at the market. With the water challenges bedevilling residents of Gweru, selling these is now a lucrative business.
Even those looking for the smallest bolts and nuts, Mtapa Market is the place to be.
Trevor Moyo a trader said, “You will be shocked at what the people come looking for at the market. After going up and about in shops in town, this is the place where they know that whatever it is, we supply. From bolts, nuts, screws, rivets, nails, ropes, screw drivers, drums, plastic containers, homemade wheel barrows, we got it all.”
He said traders at the market know what the people want and specialise in that. Even for women and men who have “issues”, Mtapa Market is the place to lay one’s hands on various concoctions.
There are women and men who are found in that market who specialise in selling traditional herbs and concoctions for any ailment at the market.
City of Gweru public relations and communications officer Ms Vimbai Chingwaramusee said the local authority is working on providing proper amenities at the market.
“A contractor is working on putting amenities at the market and it’s work in progress,” she said when asked what council was doing to make the market more habitable by traders and their clients.”
Online Reporter