Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube, B-Metro Reporter
NKULUMANE was on fire this past weekend as the 2nd Edition of the One Hub Market Fair brought the hood alive with colour, hustle and serious coin-making vibes!
Forget boring bazaars. This one was a full-on hustlers’ haven — with sizzling street food, eye-catching crafts, backyard harvests and bold entrepreneurs pushing their brands like pros.
Michael Ndiweni, Executive Director of the Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTO), was fired up.
“The market is officially open. We’re calling on all hustlers, from backyard farmers to street-smart vendors, let’s grow our businesses together,” he said.
Ndiweni told B-Metro the fair was about building bridges between informal traders and small-scale farmers, helping them connect, collaborate and compete.
“This year it’s bigger and better, with over 100 farmers and vendors. It’s about creating a wider market, easy access to farm products, and opening up more opportunities,” he said.
Women and youth showed up in numbers, dominating the stalls and making their mark. Ndiweni said their participation showed how inclusive the fair had become.
“We plan to host the market every Friday and expand to other areas outside Nkulumane,” he added.
The event had backing from local players like Bulawayo City Council, Third Heaven Construction, Pump and Steel, and Msholozi Engineering. However, financial constraints still remain a major hurdle.
“But the energy is real,” Ndiweni said. “We urge all vendors who haven’t heard about the fair to join us next time.”
One of the traders, Edith Ndebele, said her business had grown thanks to the fair. “My packaging and branding have improved. I’ve built strong links with farmers through BVTO,” she said.
Laughing, she added, “Some customers wanted big peanut butter for small money — but it’s all love.”
Farmers were thrilled too.
Innocent Ncube, a small-scale farmer, said the fair gave them room to network and learn from others in the agri-space.
“I discovered other service providers doing agro-processing, traditional medicine and value addition. It was eye-opening and prices were fair for both sides,” he said.
Nkulumane might be the starting point, but this fair is proving that when vendors, farmers and hustlers unite, serious magic happens.
