The Mayor briefed members that the government intends to proceed with its plans to remove vendors from the streets by June 26 as ordered by the Minister of Local Government, Ignatius Chombo.
The vendors insisted that the processes of acquiring licenses and registration and the relocation to designated sites require more time than the two days left. They cited the inadequacy of designated sites, noting that 1,975 vendors are on the waiting list to be given licenses, not to mention those that are not even on the list.
They also vehemently opposed the proposed $23 per day and said they were never consulted on the proposed figure. The informal sector`s associations agreed to encourage their members to help maintain city cleanliness.
The Zimbabwe Informal Sector`s Organisation (ZISO) applauded the Bulawayo City Council for creating “this crucial dialogue platform and for pledging to support vendors and continue negotiations with the vendors associations”.
They also urged Chombo to abandon the eviction proposal altogether and embark on a consultative dialogue process to devise an amicable and sustainable solution to the issue of vendors.
Local council authorities should be permitted to exercise their constitutional autonomy to address the issue of the proliferation of vendors on a city by city basis, taking into account the local context of each town, says ZISO.
Post published in: Business