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Precious Masakara
Harare City Council is struggling to control the illegal vendors that have invaded the capital city’s streets.
For quite some time now, vendors have been selling farm produce, roasted maize cobs and second hand clothes in the central business district.
Money changers are also flooding Harare’s CBD.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, acting communications corporate manager Innocent Ruwende urged illegal vendors to move to designated areas.
“Vendors continue to operate illegally in the city centre. As the City Council, we will continue to enforce our by-laws so that the vendors move from the streets. They must go to designated markets,” said Ruwende.
He highlighted that Council does not have any arresting powers, adding that is why the city fathers are struggling to contain the situation.
“We have applied for arresting powers, all to no avail.
“We, at least, want a municipal court, where the illegal vendors’ issues can be dealt with.”
At the moment, Harare City Council only confiscates the vendors’ goods as a way of punishing them. However, this is not deterring the vendors who always resort to getting new stock and coming back to the streets.
On Wednesday, the Council took some vendors’ products and loaded them into a refuse truck, before dumping them at Pomona dumpsite.
Said Ruwende: “We cannot give the farm produce to the underprivileged, the food might be contaminated.”
Online Reporter