Gweru (New Ziana) -Harare Metropolitan and Devolution Affairs Minister Oliver Chidawu on Wednesday toured the recently refurbished Kudzanayi Bus Terminus in Gweru to study the concept with a view to copying it in local authorities under his jurisdiction.
Chidawu, who was accompanied by Harare Metropolitan provincial secretary Tafadzwa Muguti and officials from other local authorities under him, said completion of the Kudzanayi Bus Terminus was testimony of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recognition of the role that the informal sector played in the national economy.
President Mnangagwa officially opened the bus terminus on December 13 last year.
Chidawo described the bus terminus, which has market stalls and a parking spaces for buses, as a clean and decent work space for informal traders.
He said the facility had many benefits as it improved revenue collection for local authorities, reduced drug abuse among youths as well as dealt with the scourge for space barons, which was giving Harare sleepless nights.
Harare, he said, had launched an operation to reclaim market spaces to ensure a win-win situation for all stakeholders.
Chidawu said the haphazard manner of managing market spaces resulted in poor revenue collection by local authorities resulting in their failure to deliver quality services.
“We commend the partnership between Gweru City Council and Bentech Resources, which prioritised the provision of work spaces to our people. As Harare, we hope to enter such partnerships and that is the reason for our visit here,” he said.
Recently elected Gweru mayor Hamutendi Kombayi said the renovation and partnership had brought more revenue to the city.
Gweru City Council deputy director of engineering Tapiwa Marerwa said the Ministerial directive to revamp Kudzanayi had given them an opportunity to re-look at trading spaces.
Marerwa said the refurbishment had brought order, convenience, general cleanliness and desire to improve public health.
Bentech Resources representative David Kudakwashe said there were over 100 stalls of different categories that included small merchandise, hardware and grilling section for maize and groundnuts.
The bus terminus serves inter-city as well as cross border buses.
New Ziana