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    Traders markets to be refurbished countrywide – Garwe

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    Harare, (New Ziana) – Traders’ markets around the country are to be refurbished into smart facilities that promote orderliness and good governance, a Cabinet Minister has said.

    This follows an inferno that razed the Mbare Traders’ Market to the ground on October 8, destroying wares and other valuables worth an estimated US$20 million, and affecting the livelihoods of 4 695 traders.

    President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the fire incident a state of disaster, paving way for government intervention.

    Fielding questions during this week’s post cabinet media briefing in Harare, Local Government and Public Works Minister, Daniel Garwe said while the Mbare fire incident was unfortunate, it had given the authorities an opportunity to build sustainable infrastructure that will ensure orderliness in conducting business, allowing the traders to pay their rates and taxes to local and tax authorities.

    “There will be a governable environment in the infrastructure, we are going to put modern infrastructure, perhaps, two, three floors so that those that are dealing with hardware have got their own floor, those that got ICT equipment are on a different floor and so on and so forth,” Garwe said.

    “So we want infrastructure where it will be very difficult for the various traders to be unable to pay taxes and rates so we are now moving from a situation which was ungovernable, disorderly, to an orderly, properly managed business.

    We are all aware that Mbare traders market in particular was generating in excess of US$2 million a day and what was gutted by fire we are told is also in excess of US20 million. It’s a huge economy on its own and we need to put in place proper structures that are sustainable to climate change, to any fire or other disasters.”

    Garwe said the refurbishment of the market will be reciprocated at the Glen View Area 8 furniture manufacturing market, the biggest furniture manufacturing facility in Harare. “We have been directed that as we work on Mbare, we should also at the same time work on Glen View Area 8 in terms of upgrading,” said the Minister.

    “And the second phase will be going to other towns and cities to ensure that all traders markets where our SMEs are working from are upgraded to sustainable levels.” Government had in terms of the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) declared the Mbare inferno a disaster to allow for the mobilisation of resources for rebuilding the market while helping the traders back onto their feet.

    “We would want to start the works after finalising the documentation with the developer that we have identified as a matter of urgency. We are hoping that in 14 days from today, the works would have started in terms of designing and the planning and by the end of the year, work on the ground would have started,” said Garwe.

    “We are not only focussing on Mbare but other areas as well with special focus on Glen View Area 8 which has regularly fallen victim to fires.”

    In a report on the October 8 Mbare Traders’ Market fire that was adopted by Cabinet, Garwe said of concern is that similar fire incidences have been recorded at other markets in Harare City with the primary causes being use of highly combustible materials and lack of fire-prevention infrastructure while the Harare City Council does not have the capacity to address the incidents. Government, therefore, has to intervene and promote private sector participation to complement its efforts.

    “Accordingly, Cabinet approved engagement of a leading engineering, construction and development company to partner Government in re-building the Mbare Traders’ Market, under a Design, Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Finance (DEPC+F) model,” said Garwe.

    “This model will ensure that high-quality facilities are completed and commissioned within the shortest possible time. It will also allow traders to resume operations in an orderly environment that facilitates formalisation and payment of taxes. The model can and will be replicated to upgrade other similar markets across the country.”

    Meanwhile, the government will, under the disaster management framework, provide the necessary livelihood and social assistance support to ensure that the affected traders pull through the immediate difficulties they face.

    Longer-term sustainability and resilience-building mechanisms for traders will also be addressed under the framework.

    New Ziana

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