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Vendors sell their wares along Lobengula Street in Bulawayo in this file photo

Charity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
THE Affirmative Action Group (AAG) says vendor licence fees being charged by Bulawayo City Council are expensive taking into account the economic challenges the country is going through.
Vendor licence fee by the local authority was pegged at $30.
AAG national vice- president Sam Ncube said the fee was expensive for an ordinary vendor.

“The $30 fee sounds heavy for an ordinary vendor considering that  most of these people sell tomatoes and vegetables that go for 1 rand and raising the $30 for the licence is difficult” he said.

He said the city council should consider the economic challenges the country was facing.
“The truth is our economy is not stable therefore, it’s hard to get money and worse for vendors who sell fruits and tomatoes for R1 and R2,’’ he said.

A council employee who preferred not to be named citing professional reasons told this paper that the vendor licence fee differed with places where one would be operating from.

He said it costs $30 to secure a vendor licence to operate in the city centre while outside the city centre the fee was pegged at $27.
“At least there should be payment plans that can be devised for vendors that cannot afford to pay the $30 at once” he said.

Added Ncube; “Vendors should actually be commended for trying to have an honest living, these people are not engaging in illegal activities to fend for their families. Municipal police should take that into consideration when chasing them off the streets.”

The Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo said vendors should pay their licences to avoid arrests by municipal police.
“Vendors should pay for operating licences so that they are not arrested and having their goods confiscated by municipal police,” he said.