In the past, only flower vendors were visible at graveyards – operating usually at points of entry into cemeteries. But now vendors are now a common sight at graveyards, where they sell bottled water, cigarettes and fruit, among other goods, to mourners at the very graveside.
Capitalising on the gatherings of people at the cemetery, creative vendors said they were making modest profits through their daring business. “There is a lot of competition on the streets, so it is important to look for other markets. People are dying every day and mourners need what we sell, so I don’t see any problem with going to sell my wares at graveyards,” said one vendor who identified herself as Mai Prince.
She takes home between $10 and $20 on a daily basis, depending on the number of people who converge at the cemetery to bury their loved ones.
“For a long time we did not appreciate that you could make good money selling water to mourners. I just used to sell vegetables on the streets but, because of competition, I have chosen to concentrate on the cemetery,” she added.
However, there are concerns of poor hygiene and sanitation, particularly regarding food that the vendors bring along.
“I think the City Council should intervene to ensure health standards are met,” said one resident.
Other residents and mourners are concerned that the vendors are desecrating graves by trampling on them as they jostle for customers. Illegal vending, because of high levels of unemployment and widespread urban poverty, is on the rise as people try to eke out a living.
A municipal official at the cemetery in Unit L in Chitungwiza admitted that the municipality had not come up with any strategies to deal with graveside vendors.
“This type of vending is a new phenomenon and it seems the authorities are not quite aware of the vendors at graveyards,” he said.
Post published in: News