The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
Some houses in high-density suburbs have literally been turned into booby traps, as vendors whose illegal business structures were demolished by local authorities have now come up with the most desperate and dangerous way to store their wares.
In fact, most vendors are now using their places of residence as shopfronts.
Not only are foodstuffs being stored in questionable hygiene conditions, but hazardous and flammable materials are also being stocked in places that are ill-suited to hold them.
It is generally feared that such hazardous substances might be a time bomb that triggers disastrous outcomes.
Investigations by The Sunday Mail Society reveal that informal liquid petroleum gas (LPG) traders and black market fuel peddlers have now temporarily switched to backyard operations.
The trend has become common is areas such as Mbare, Highfield, Glen View, Budiriro and Glen Norah.
“You should come here often. I never run out of gas. I have six 80kg gas cylinders inside (the house) and they are often full to capacity. My usual clients have followed me to the new base,” said Jerry Maseko, a Budiriro-based LPG trader who opened up to The Sunday Mail Society crew, which he mistook for customers.
“I know gas is highly explosive and dangerous but I take the necessary precautions to avert possible danger.” Government recently tasked local authorities to take advantage of the lockdown to clean up workspaces used by informal traders.
The clean-up also involves demolishing undesignated worksites.
It is envisaged that the ongoing interventions could help bring sanity in most towns and cities and help contain the spread of Covid-19.
But it seems the reaction by vendors could create another potentially explosive challenge, both literally and figuratively.
Maseko says he has at least 400kg of gas in his home at any given time.
Demand and use of gas has been rising exponentially due to a combination of expensive electricity tariffs and intermittent power supplies.
“I was left with no option but to operate from home after my cabin structure, which was situated at the shops, got demolished by Harare City Council officials,” he said.
He has been in the gas business for three years, but his operations are not licensed.
It is a similar tale with Chinhoyi-based fuel dealer Alfred Shoko, who is better known as Taliban.
He used to store 200-litre drums of fuel in a shipping container that was turned into a convenient storeroom.
His “shop” has, however, since been removed and the fuel stocks — both petrol and diesel — are now stored at his house.
“It is a matter of life and death either way. I have nowhere to place the stuff. I have since alerted my wife and kids to avoid naked flames inside the house and they are complying well. I plan to move the fuel business to a much secure and safe place soon, though,” said Taliban.
Hefty fines
But those who are taking the risk of stocking dangerous wares at their places of residence risk hefty fines ranging from $4 800 to $120 000, depending on the severity of the crime.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) national spokesperson Mrs Amkela Sidange said the regulator has since set up surveillance teams to identify illegal merchants of highly combustible substances.
“We have reports of vendors involved in this illegal trade. Thus, we have since set up a surveillance team to identify the culprits so that they are brought to book.
“This is a serious offence with a fine level ranging between level six to fourteen. Many properties have been burnt due to explosions caused by these mischievous people, hence we need to stop them,” said Mrs Sidange.
“Our officers are limited yet they have a much wider area to cover. We, therefore, appeal to the public to give us leads. No one is allowed to store or transport gas, fuel or any other hazardous substance without a valid licence.”
Of late there have been grim tales of victims of mishandled flammable substances.
A teenage girl recently suffered serious burns in Budiriro after an empty 20-litre fuel container caught fire in the house.
In September last year, a house was also destroyed in Waterfalls, Harare, after gas cylinders and fuel stored in the house caught fire.
Similarly, another house in Mutare was razed down by fire after a gas cylinder exploded.
There is also a growing trend where vendors are increasingly converting their homes into “convenience stores”.
Mai Manyara rents a single room in the Tsiga area of Mbare, which she shares with her two daughters.
The room doubles as a grocery shop for a range of goods that include cooking oil, sugar, salt, peanut butter and washing powder, among others.
City fathers are aware of the new development.
Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme said there was need to raise awareness on the dangers of using undesignated places for trading.
“Vendors should desist from storing and selling dangerous stuff in backyards. It is hazardous to them and their neighbours. Council is working tirelessly to ensure structures are in place soon to curb imminent problems,” said Mr Chideme.
“We are working to restore sanity in the city as well as promoting the fight against Covid-19. The idea is to have at least one market in each suburb. In some areas, we are going to construct structures while in some we will revamp existing ones.”
Past efforts to relocate vendors to designated sites have often been unsuccessful.
Currently, vendors who retail groceries, vegetables and meat are relying on makeshift stalls that usually pop up at night, while the more affluent vendors also use their cars, which often double up as getaway vehicles, as mobile stores.
Areas that are currently being spruced up in the capital include Shawasha grounds, Tsiga vending site and Coca-Cola market.
Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the public needs to alert officials of any malpractices in order to avert potential disaster.
“The challenge we have is the society itself. They protect culprits, forgetting their lives are also being put at risk by these illegal operations,” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.
“… others post reports on social media. However, we would appreciate it more if they made actual reports at police stations so that we gather conclusive evidence and do follow-ups to deal with offenders,” he added.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has in the past conducted awareness campaigns and demonstrations on safe use and storage of substances like LP gas and fuel.
