Harare, (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe National Vendors Association (ZINAVA) has urged local authorities to provide suitable operating conditions at sites to be designated for vending, following the government directive for informal traders and illegal vendors in Hararew to vacate the streets by Wednesday this week.
ZINAVA chairman Abel Zvobgo said the association supported efforts to bring order to towns and cities but stressed the need for councils to provide adequate and suitable spaces before removing vendors from the streets.
He said the sites should be equipped with appropriate stalls, adequate ablution facilities and convenient access to markets to ensure that vendors can conduct their businesses in a safe and sustainable environment.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe recently directed vendors to operate only from designated sites as part of measures to restore order in urban areas.
He said once the grace period for Harare vendors expires, his Ministry, working with other government Ministries, departments and agencies, will embark on a comprehensive, zero-tolerance clean-up operation targeting illegal vending sites in Harare and other urban centres across the country.
“While we do not oppose the government’s call for orderliness in towns and cities, it is our view that councils must identify convenient sites before designating them for vendors. Local authorities should ensure that designated vending sites have appropriate stalls, adequate ablution facilities and easy access to markets. It would be unfair to remove vendors from the streets, as vending is their only source of livelihood,” Zvobgo said.
He added that existing by-laws criminalising vending should be reviewed, as ZINAVA continues to advocate for the recognition of vendors as formal
workers.
The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) also weighed in, saying the formalisation of vending should provide pathways for informal traders to transition into safer, more secure and sustainable forms of economic activity.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe is developing a formalisation strategy in line with International Labour Organisation (ILO) Recommendation 204 (R204), which
calls on member states to facilitate the transition of workers and economic units from the informal to the formal economy while safeguarding workers’ rights and promoting decent work for all.
New Ziana
