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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
SCORES of businesses and shops in Victoria Falls risk being shut down for not renewing their trading licences. On Monday, the local authority dispatched municipal police on a door-to-door exercise to identify those who have not renewed their licences.

Shops and business licences expire on December 31 each year and the fees to be paid differ according to the type of business.

Town Clerk Christopher Dube said people must settle their bills.

“This is not an operation and all we’re doing is to ensure people pay because they should have licences before they do business,” said Dube.

He said most traders had not renewed their licences that expired on December 31 last year.

“A licence is a legal document and we want to encourage people to pay in time so that they don’t have problems with the law,” said Dube.

He said as much as the local authority appreciated the fact that the economic situation was not favourable for business, people should understand that council needs to provide services through revenue that it collects.

“There was a situation where people were being given up to end of March to pay. It’s not done like that because they have the whole year to do so,” added Dube.

The municipal revenue hall was a hive of activity on Monday and yesterday morning as operators sought to either pay or make payment plans.

Business offices and ordinary shops are charged $213 per annum. Special restaurants that sell liquor pay above $700 per year.

The money accumulates if one defaults in paying.

Thandiwe Dube, who operates a boutique and is supposed to pay $200, said: “I have paid half of the money but they told me they’re closing the shop.

“Where do they expect us to get money when it’s not a secret that business is low? As we speak I’m running around trying to secure some money to pay.”