admin
Lovemore Kadzura Rusape Correspondent
Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa has urged small to medium enterprises to operate within the confines of the law for them to get Government recognition and support.
Cde Chinamasa said this while officially opening a state-of-the-art JT Masamvu Flea Market stall situated in Rusape Central Business District, recently. The flea market is owned by renowned businessman Mr John Masamvu and accommodates 192 vendors.
Cde Chinamasa, who is also the Member of National Assembly for Makoni Central, said the ongoing Operation Restore Order, which has seen illegal vendors being removed from streets and pavements, was meant to bring sanity in the informal sector and emphasised that Government was aware of the challenges facing informal traders.
“The ongoing Operation Restore Order is also targeting businesses that are operating illegally so that they comply with the laws of the country and council by-laws. We are no longer allowing people to operate business outside the law.
“Government is aware of the current unemployment, but it is not an excuse for people to operate in undesignated places. This flea market stall is what Government wants and we call upon councils and private sector players like the Masamvu family, to construct more of these standard trading places. Old Mutual is building another structure for SMEs in Harare.
“It becomes easier to manage and control the informal sector if it operates on proper places. If we allow vendors to operate on streets and pavements, it will cause the spreading of diseases such as cholera and typhoid,” said Minister Chinamasa.
“Small businesses are the major economic driving forces in countries such as China, Thailand and India, and we want to follow suit here,” said Cde Chinamasa.
Mr Masamvu, a businessman of note with a chain of supermarkets in Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Harare, said he saw a business opportunity when he realised that there was no proper flea market in the Central Business District, and he decided to set up one.
“The plight of vendors selling their wares on pavements and streets is the one that motivated me to set up this magnificent structure. It cost us $250 000 to construct, and vendors have welcomed it because it was fully booked before completion. Before this structure was put up, vendors were having running battles with council and police, but now it is a thing of the past,” said Mr Masamvu.
Rusape Town Council vice-chairman Councillor Evaristo Manyengavana said the flea market, a first of its kind in town, came at the right time when Government was calling for order and discipline in the business sector.
“As council, we are excited about this development because it sends the correct message about carrying out business in correctly designated places. As much as we would like to empower our residents, we must do so at the right places where there are adequate ablution and sanitary facilities. We are glad to say we are witnessing such compliance at this flea market complex,” said Clr Manyengavana.
Online Reporter