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Mthabisi Tshuma, Gwanda Correspondent

GWANDA Municipality has identified new vending sites as it moves to restore order in the mining town and ensure that vendors comply with Covid-19 regulations.

The local authority has identified three sites in the city centre and two other sites in Phakama suburb and Spitzkop suburb.

In the city centre, the first one opposite the NSSA Complex is being developed in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the urban resilience programme to accommodate 28 fruit and vegetable vendors.

The second site is near the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Railway (BBR) area and their traders partnered with council to develop the site to accommodate 300 people.

The third site is at the former Gwanda taxi rank where council wants to develop it in partnership with the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises. Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development. The ground breaking ceremony was done last year.

At Phakama Shopping Centre and in  Spitzkop North there are vending sites again which are being developed.

In an interview, Gwanda town clerk Ms Priscilla Nkala said the construction of the vending sites is underway while the one opposite the NSSA Complex was completed.

“Currently Council is concentrating in the CBD and the processes will move to the identified spaces in the mentioned suburbs as at the moment we are lobbying for funding from various partners and stakeholders.

“The cost of constructing the vendor mart opposite NSSA complex which accommodates 28 people was approximately US$42 200. For the one accommodating 300 people the budget might around US$400 000,” she said.

MS Nkala said the construction of the vending sites is part of developmental projects.

She said the projects empowers community members so that they are able to settle their rates.

“The goal and vision of council is to promote local economic development and feed into the national vision of an upper middle-class economy.  If the community is empowered, then community members will be able to pay rates and tariffs and the local economy will improve,” said Ms Nkala.

“The informal sector contributes a lot to  council revenues, therefore vending bays opposite NSSA complex and the BBR will open soon since the lockdown has been eased.”

Ward 9 councilor Thulani Mayo said vendors who will use sites at Phakia Business Centre are drawn from a list compiled by the vendors association.

“The vending site at Phakia Business Centre will benefit members selected by the traders who used to ply their trade in front of the shops. We hope the place will be extended to accommodate a lot of people also drawn from other suburbs,” said Clr Moyo.

@mthabisi_mthire