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Mpumelelo Nyoni Chronicle Reporter
VENDORS from Nkulumane suburb yesterday demonstrated against the police for fining them for not having hawkers’ licences, saying the move has worsened their plight. The vendors alleged that they pay $14 per stall every month to Bulawayo City Council, but police fined them $5 for not having hawkers’ licences. They claimed that sometimes they were raided and fined twice a day: in the morning by officers from Nkulumane police station and in the afternoon by officers from Tshabalala.
They also bemoaned lack of clarity surrounding the issue of fines and accused law enforcement agents of fleecing them.
When a Chronicle news crew went to Nkulumane Sekusile shopping centre at about 11AM yesterday, scores of vendors were protesting, claiming that they were being exploited. Police details were still moving from stand to stand, collecting fines. Tongayi Machaka, a father of four, said he barely manages to make a profit as a result of the fines.
“Every day, except on Sunday, the police collect $5 fines and they tell me it’s an admission of guilt fee for selling at an unauthorised place. I sell eggs and I only make a profit of $4 every two or three days. I also pay $70 in rentals which makes it difficult to fend for my family. When I ask them how I can get a vending licence, they become hostile, telling me they only act on orders given to them by their superiors,” said Machaka.
He said the city council charges them $14 a month in stand rentals and questioned why they were being made to pay fines by the police.
A vendor who identified herself as Gogo MaNdlovu, said she takes care of her five grandchildren but it is difficult to earn a living with the fines she is being charged.
“My grandchildren are orphans and they all depend on me for their education. How am I expected to provide for them when every day I pay $10 in fines to the police? To make matters worse, the city council charges $14 a month in rentals but we as vendors don’t benefit from that money,” she said.
Kipaletsiwe Nyathi, a mother of seven, claimed they had a right to be addressed and informed over the fines.
“The police are here to protect us not to fleece us of our hard earned money. Those five dollars that I’m paying are enough to buy uniforms for my children. Schools are opening tomorrow but my children don’t even have stationery,” said Nyathi.
Bulawayo acting police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Abednigo Ncube referred questions to national police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi, who was not reachable.
Ward 22 councillor Rodney Jele said police had informed him about the operation, but he was going to consult them and the council over the vendors’ plight.
He said police were conducting an operation on vendors who were not up to date with their licence fees payments to council, but he was working towards negotiating for vendors to be given ample time to pay their licence fees.
“I received queries over the weekend from vendors who had paid their licence fees to council but were being charged $5 fines by the police.
“However, some vendors are not up to date on their payments and as such are being fined,” said Cllr Jele.
“The police informed me of their operation and it must be noted that no one is above the law.
“However, given the economic challenges in the country, I will have meetings with the police and the city council and formulate ways of addressing the issue.”
Online Reporter