Council evicts vendors, closes shops Bulawayo City Council building
Bulawayo City Council building

Bulawayo City Council building

Pamela Shumba Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO City Council has evicted hundreds of vendors who were illegally operating from its shops in the western suburbs, leaving them with no source of livelihood. Council closed the shops last week as it intends to lease them after going through a tender in a process that is said to be conducted every five years.  Following last week’s evictions, some of the vendors vandalised and reoccupied the shops.

However council, with the police’s assistance launched an operation, which is ongoing to evict those who had unlocked and illegally re-occupied the shops.
Vendors from Barbourfields, Sizinda, Makokoba and other surbubs told Chronicle yesterday that the city council was being insensitive as they were trying to earn a living through running the small businesses.

They also claimed that their wares and goods had been confiscated in the operation.
Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Councillor Gift Banda told Chronicle yesterday that the vendors should use proper channels if they want to use the shops.
“The vendors invaded the shops and started operating illegally without following proper channels. We want them to use the shops but one must make an application first before they can be allowed to use the shops. They know the procedures to be followed,” said Clr Banda.

“The shops were closed because the council has to flight tenders first and make sure that the new owners occupy them through the proper system. There would be chaos in the city if we allow people to do what they want.”

Vincent Dube, a vendor said council takes time to flight the tenders, which makes it difficult for them to wait for the process as they need to survive.
“They took everything we had. Now we’ve no money to feed our families and we’ve no wares to sell.

“We want to legalise our operations but the problem is that the council takes time to flight the tenders but we need to survive,” said Dube.
However, the deputy mayor said while city fathers understood the plight of the people of Bulawayo, it would not allow residents to run illegal operations.
Some vendors in Barbourfields blamed their councillor Shilla Musonda for neglecting them amid the evictions.

“We’re simply trying to earn a living but we’re being treated like criminals. Our councillor knows very well that most people here are earning a living through vending but she allows them to come and take away our wares, leaving us with nothing,” said Siphathisiwe Nyathi from Barbourfields.

“It’s sad that some of the people that lost their wares are elderly people and orphans who are trying to raise money to feed their poor families.”
However, Clr Musonda said she had no power to stop council from evicting lawbreakers.

She said the vendors were told earlier that they were occupying the shops illegally and were given notice to vacate.
“I have nothing to do with the evictions but those shops do not belong to the vendors. The evictions were done by the council.

“It’s just that people don’t know the difference. The vendors, however, know that they were illegally occupying the shops and we gave them time to leave,” said Clr Musonda.

“Some of them unlocked the shops that were locked by the council and started operating their businesses, using electricity and council water for free. These shops do not belong to the vendors. They belong to the council,” she said.

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