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Patrick Chitumba and Whinsley Masara Chronicle Reporters
A seven-day ultimatum given by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing for all illegal vendors who had invaded streets of all cities and towns in the country selling their wares, has triggered mixed reactions among informal traders.

In Bulawayo, illegal vendors yesterday took a stance to defy the government directive to leave the streets, arguing that vending was their only source of income and have nowhere to go. However, in Gweru, the ultimatum galvanised the vendors into action as they scrambled for vendor marts from the local authority.

Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations (ZCIEA) in Bulawayo, a representative body for informal traders, said the government should first look for proper vending marts before evicting them.

Association’s first national vice- president, Edward Manning, said vending and informal trade is the only source of livelihoods for many people in the city since the closure of many industries.

“ZCIEA Bulawayo territory has learnt with shock of the seven-day ultimatum issued by the Minister of Local Government, Public works and National Housing, Honourable Ignatius Chombo which says that vendors and informal traders across the country should stop trading on the streets. Vending is part of informal trade in Bulawayo and it’s not something that can be wished away just like that. The local government should find ways of regularising the industry.”

“Due to the massive closure of industries in Bulawayo, many people are eking out a living from vending. We’re therefore shocked by this ultimatum and we’re requesting the government to rethink and get sound policy advice on the issue,” said Manning.

He said the high unemployment rate in Bulawayo has forced many people to resort to vending so the government should first ensure industries are revived before taking action against informal traders.

“As Zimbabweans, we all need to commit ourselves to fulfilling the necessary conditions required to make the country’s economic blueprint, Zim-Asset, work so that our economy is revived then we can have jobs,” said Manning.

ZCIEA is appealing to Bulawayo City Council to urgently create structures and places for vendors to operate from.

Siboniwe Moyo, a vendor along Lobengula Street, said she had no intention of leaving her vending spot as it is her only source of income.

“The army and the police will do as they please because if I don’t sell my children don’t eat. I’m a widow and vending is my only source of income,” she said.

Another vendor, Josiah Sibanda,55, who operates in the city centre, said if he was employed he was not going to remain on the streets especially at his age.

“I worked for so many years at Belmont Clothing Company before it closed shop leaving me on the streets,” he said.

Meanwhile, there was a scramble for vending stalls and space outside the CBD in Gweru among illegal vendors as they tried to beat the one week ultimatum issued by government to leave the streets.

Illegal vendors and hawkers association members said yesterday they were afraid of being found on the streets, come Monday when the deadline expires.

Many illegal vendors rushed to Kombayi Old Market while others are said to have gone back to their residential areas where council had constructed vending stalls which were fast turning into white elephants.

Joshua Sithole of Gweru Traders’ Association said as vendors they had taken a position to comply with the directive.

He said there were more than 2,500 illegal vendors on the streets of Gweru.

“There’s a scramble for vending space outside the CBD. We want to move out of the streets as directed,” he said.

Sithole said vendors were forced to move into the CBD as the vendor marts were far away from their customers.

He said: “The streets became strategic in that customers didn’t have to travel to buy our stuff”.

John “Tekere” Samabvu the chairman of the Gweru Hawkers and Vendors’ Association said the government should be commended for taking the bold step in addressing the matter.

He said it was unfair for someone to just decide to set up a table and start selling stuff without paying a single cent to council.

Samabvu said every year, a lot of businesses were closing because of vendors who traded outside their shops.

“This is a welcome development and we support it. I’m glad that vendors here have started looking for alternative areas to operate from,” he said.

Samabvu said GCC had constructed vending stalls in the high-density suburbs like Mkoba Villages 6, 9, 16, and 13 as well as Mtapa suburb. He said the vendor marts were white elephants because vendors were reluctant to use them.

Gweru Mayor, Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi, said he will be meeting councillors and management to discuss Chombo’s directive. He said council was going to implement the directive and they were only meeting to strategise.

Illegal vending had become an eye sore in the city with Pick’ n’ Pay Supermarket being one of the hardest hit retail outlets.

Giant Shoe company, Bata Shoe Company’s General Manager, Ronjoy Sungupta, recently expressed concern over the illegal vendors who conducted business outside his shops.

He said, during the visit of the World Bank and African Development Bank officials, that it was painful to see vendors selling shoes outside his shop near Kudzanayi Bus Terminus.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, Chombo, on Monday issued a directive to local authorities in all cities and towns to deal with the illegal vendors who have invaded streets in Central Business Districts. He said illegal vendors in cities and towns should leave the streets within seven days or risk arrest as the government moves in to restore order.

The illegal vendor menace is more pronounced in the capital where nearly every street has been turned into an illegal vending point.