The desperation among people, most of them living far below the poverty datum line, has seen the mushrooming of illegal structures such as backyard cottages, tuck shops as well as shebeens in most high density suburbs.
A tuck-shop operator from Chitungwiza, identified only as Chamunorwa, who has built his structure on an undesignated piece of land said, “We cannot find jobs because industry is not fully operational. The only way we can survive is through informal trading. We know there are consequences for building illegal structures but we do not have any other option.”
With unemployment levels still so high, the urban populace has devised several strategies for survival – many of which are similar to those that triggered Operation Murambatsvina.
A Mufakose resident, Stella Mapwanya (64,) said, “In my case I rely on rentals that I get from tenants housed in my backyard cottages. With that money I am able to survive so the issue of breaking council laws is out of the question for me because I have to survive.”
The government of Zimbabwe, then led by Zanu (PF), descended heavily on the informal sector which had become a source of livelihood for many in 2005 when it launched the widely condemned Operation Murambatsvina. Urban constituencies had just voted overwhelmingly for the then opposition MDC in both council and national elections.
Justification for the operation, which came at a time when 80 percent of the Zimbabwean population was relying on the informal sector for a living, was that it aimed at getting rid of illegal housing and commercial activities as well as to reduce spread of infectious diseases in densely populated areas.
Statistics show that an estimated three million people countrywide were affected directly or indirectly as a result of the demolitions while an estimated 100,000 vendors were arrested.
An estimated 560,000 people lost their shelter as a result of the demolitions and a further 2,4 million were left without markets for their goods. Although memories of Operation Murambatsvina still remain fresh in the minds of most unemployed Zimbabweans, it appears that the only way out of abject poverty for the unemployed masses has been to live in defiance.
Tuck-shop and shebeen operators in high density suburbs have not been spared as municipal police and the Zimbabwe Republic Police usually descend on the desperate citizens, at times demanding unreasonable bribes.
“What we are doing is not in defiance of laws as some people would like to think but it’s a sign of desperation. How else are we supposed to survive when there are no jobs? Even the police are surviving on us because they come here to demand bribes,” said a shebeen operator from Chitungwiza.
“Vending is our source of livelihood. That is why we are always on the streets even though council does not approve of it. It is better to break the law than die of hunger,” said a vendor who identified herself as Merit.
The vendors called on the government to formalize the informal sector and ensure that designated places for informal traders are set up in the city centre. They also said that government was trying to hide behind a finger by identifying illegal vending as a problem in the city centre, when in actual fact the problem lies with high unemployment levels.
Anderson Mateo, a tuck-shop owner from Budiriro said, “There are several residents in this area who have built tuck shops and cottages because they are desperate for money. Of course we have fears of another Murambatsvina – but we have no option but to act illegally as the council would like to say.”
Another shebeen operator from Zengeza 2 who identified himself as Shine said: “It’s better to live that way (defiance) than to just sit down and die of hunger. I have a huge family to look after and there are no jobs so this shebeen is my source of income,” he said.
Post published in: News