Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Reporter
ANTI-RIOT police were called to restore order at Renkini bus terminus in Bulawayo yesterday after angry vendors assaulted municipal police who had confiscated their goods.In the mayhem, four of the arrested hawkers fell off a moving council vehicle.  Council police had raided and arrested the vendors before confiscating their goods after they failed to produce vending licences.

Angry vendors who got injured said council workers showed no remorse as they tried to escape from the scene after a canopy had disengaged from the council vehicle that was ferrying them.

“I jumped off their vehicle after realising that their canopy was falling and it nearly hit me on the neck. When I fell off I hurt my left side of the body and it still hurts. They should have just raided our property rather than throwing us in their vehicle,” said Sikhangezile Moyo.

Moyo said she was a widow and she was taking care of her family through selling sadza at the bus station.

“They raid us on daily basis, the council, ZRP and we don’t even know who we are now supposed to be paying licences to,” she said.

Another vendor who fell off the council car, Steward Moyo said council did not bother to take them for treatment, even though it was responsible for their injuries.

“They took us to Drill Hall demanding that we pay but I told them that I could not pay as I was already injured because of their deeds. They confiscated my goods so I have to start afresh,” said Moyo.

Phalaza Dube who was also raided said the government should address the issue of small and medium enterprises as they were a backbone of the country’s economy.

“We’re being harassed almost every day. The government speaks about indigenisation and such efforts (police raids) continue to stifle our contributions,” said Dube.

Witnesses said while the vendors were being driven to Drill Hall, the canopy on one of the council’s vehicles fell off injuring some of the vendors who were in the car.

Morgan Mathonsi said upon realising that they had hurt some vendors, the driver of the vehicle tried to escape, sparking the violence.

That is when anti-riot police were called to restore order.

Company Ngwane said council should desist from harassing individuals who are genuinely trying a look after their families.

“We’re not stealing but trying to earn a living. If they were raiding us for refusing to work for companies then we would understand but companies are closed, we can’t use that excuse to our families.  We need to fend for them by all means possible,” said Ngwane.

Deputy Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Gift Banda said yesterday’s incident was unfortunate, but added that council will continue with the raids.

“This is a most unfortunate incident. We understand that the economy is going down but as a council we have an obligation and duty to ensure that there is no anarchy in this city. What I want to urge vendors is to apply for licences so that we won’t have such incidents,” said Clr Banda.

He said the council does not condone the behaviour by the council driver saying it was his responsibility to ensure that lives were preserved.

“Maybe he acted out of fear or something but we don’t condone something like that. It was an accident he should have owned up and treated it like what it was instead of trying to escape,” he said.

 

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