The Sunday Mail
Prince Mushawevato
HARARE City Council has come up with what might probably be the solution to the perennial headache of illegal vending in the capital.
They have now decided to have tie-ups with private land and property owners to provide suitable vending sites in the Central Business District (CBD) and surrounding areas.
It is hoped the synergies will help end running battles between authorities and vendors that operate in undesignated areas.
“We are encouraging private landowners to provide space to informal traders so that they have legal space to operate on. Some landowners have approached our offices and we still want more to do so,” HCC spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme told The Sunday Mail Society.
The move seems to be already paying dividends, particularly in the Copacabana area, where a car sale area was converted into a vendors’ marketplace.
It presently accommodates more than 400 traders.
Most of them used to illegally occupy open spaces and shopfronts in and around the city.
Vendors have always resisted being moved to designated areas outside the CBD, as they claim the demographics at the sites do not favour profitable business.
Most of their clients are impulse buyers in the city.
“This is a win-win deal. In the process of assisting us to deal with informal traders that operate on undesignated land, the landowners will also be making money for themselves.
“We expect to have several deals not only in the CBD but in every part of the city. However, we need to first assess the premises before the vending market agreements can be concluded,” explained Mr Chideme.
Investable Investments chief executive officer Mr Gladman Dhliwayo, who runs the newly established T/A Copacabana Traders Mall, said it was their wish to help decongest the city.
“The idea behind this place is to help council bring sanity in the streets while at the same time supporting Government’s job creation initiatives,” said Mr Dhliwayo.
“I am glad the move has so far worked. We have more than 400 families that are benefiting from this market.
“Most of the vendors here used to operate in the streets and are happy that they are no longer playing cat and mouse with authorities. We expect other vendors to join us.”
The mall, which has hand-sanitising booths at its entry points, was renovated in three months in order to meet council’s expected standards.
All the strict health protocols are being scrupulously followed.
The restrooms have running tap water and are routinely cleaned.
Furthermore, the mall is secured by armed security guards.
“The arrangement we have is that everyone who operates here pays licence fees to council. The local authority no longer has free space to offer vendors, thus it is our duty to chip in. We are also in consultation with council to open more similar places in Harare,” added Mr Dhliwayo.
Pauline Kuziva, who has found a new home at the marketplace, said she now has “peace of mind”.
“I have in the past, lost a lot of stuff and money after being arrested by council or police officials for operating illegally. However, things are now different here as everything is above board,” said Kuziva, who used to sell her wares at an open space close to a popular food court along Chinhoyi Street.
“The good thing is the market is bringing different traders and customers under one roof. The only challenge though is that customers are spoilt for choice. This means most of the times we are forced to lower our prices lest you lose customers to the next trader,” adds Tauya Marungisa, a former commuter omnibus driver who is now selling second-hand clothes.
For years, Harare has lost its shine as street vendors overran the cityscape.
It often came at a huge cost to the city as flash floods became common in the CBD during the rainy season owing to storm water drains that would have been blocked by cardboard boxes conveniently used as improvised market stalls by vendors.
Shop owners feel the new development is a step in the right direction.
“These vendors frustrate our business. They come to sell their cheap second-hand clothes on our doorstep for ridiculously low prices, and that obviously affects us. I cannot compete with them because I pay rentals. I guess finding them an alternative place they approve in the CBD could be the only solution,” said Patricia Mutambo, a boutique owner.
City of Harare is constructing market shelters at the intersection of Seke and Cripps roads and Shawasha Grounds opposite Rufaro Stadium in Mbare.
The two places will have not less than 5 000 market stalls.
