Bulawayo, (New Ziana)-The Bulawayo City Councvil is in the process of registering informal traders who will be relocated to designated formal trading places starting from Monday.
The City recently issued a notice advising informal traders to voluntarily move to designated places in compliance with government regulations.
According to the local authority, close to 2 600 new vending bays have been prepared at the Lobengula Street Market (Bhaktas), while at least 2 000 informal traders have registered for relocation.
“The registration exercise is being conducted at the Dugmore MSME One Stop Hub along Basch Street, near 6th Avenue, and on Thursday, informal traders were being registered smoothly,” it said.
The council said approximately 4 000 illegal informal traders are operating in the Central Business District (CBD), some of whom have deserted their designated trading bays.
With the City of Bulawayo expected to roll out Operation Hlanzeka, targeting illegal activities, informal traders are encouraged to regularise their status with the local authority.
Besides the Bhaktas Market informal trading site, the local authority said it has availed at least 10 000 trading bays at Highlanders Market, Egodini and other areas in the CBD and Suburban areas.
“Several sites have also been identified for trading in residential areas as part of efforts to decongest informal trading activities in the city,” the council said.
The move by the city council follows a directive by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, for local authorities across the country to provide adequate alternative trading spaces as part of efforts to restore order and cleanliness in urban centres.
Garwe said the government’s approach was not to wage war against informal traders, but to bring vending into an organised system that protects the livelihoods of traders while safeguarding the rights of residents and established businesses.
New Ziana
