Traders evicted from ‘illegal’ flea market

The informal traders had set up shop along Park Street during weekends and public holidays.

Yesterday they got a rude awakening when municipality police dismantled their stalls.
They described the evictions as a blow with just a day before Christmas when sales were expected to rise.

The flea market was opened about two months ago.
However, Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Leslie Gwindi said the flea market was illegal.

In an interview, a woman who identified herself as Mrs Ruteni said they were told to pack their goods and vacate for no specific reason.
“We were approached by the municipal police this morning as we were getting ready for business.
“They told us to pack our staff immediately citing that our presence at the flea market was illegal.
“How can they do that to us while we were about to maximise our profits?

“If they knew it was illegal, they were supposed to have barred us way before we came here,” she fumed.

Another woman who identified herself as Shelly called for the Government to intervene in issues concerning Zimbabwean businesspeople.
She said people should be given the platform to enjoy their benefits as Zimbabweans.

“We are being evicted from this flea market space yet other nationals are enjoying the fruits of our land at our expense.

“We also want shops to rent because we have the money to pay rent.

“I am very bitter because foreigners are enjoying while we are being harassed.

“Already my Christmas and plans for January have been disturbed.

“When we go to South Africa to buy our goods for trading, we will be ill-treated and raided as foreigners.

“We come back home, we are being denied our right to freedom, so where should we go,” she said.

Shelly said they were making between US$400 and US$500 a day adding that they could at least afford a decent living.
She, however, could not identify the person who had given them permission to do business along the street.

“Most of us here do not even know the name of the person who is in charge of the flea market. He only signs on our receipts. That’s all.

“We are just hearing that he had not finished signing some agreement forms with the council that is why we are being evicted.

“All we know is that we pay our US$20 on Saturdays and public holidays and US$10 on Sundays,” she said.

Mr Gwindi insisted that the arrangement was illegal.

“Those flea markets were illegal in the first place that is why we are evicting them.

“Council never arranged with anyone concerning such a flea market location,” he said.

He said council had launched investigations to establish how the flea market was set up.