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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter

THE Victoria Falls City Council has launched blitz on open air tradersand those trading at undesignated areas. The move follows concerns by traders operating from designated market places and formal shops that complained about loss of business due to hawkers and vendors trading in front of shops.

Environmentalists also complained about littering on the streets which was blamed on the rise in informal trading. Local authority management and stakeholders including representatives of informal traders recently toured the city to have an appreciation of the situation, and sent municipal police to all areas littered with informal trading activities.

Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said the council warned residents and stakeholders against vending and selling of wares at undesignated areas. He said the local authority owns several designated areas of trade from which prospective traders can sell their goods. “There are also other licenced private players who offer similar

services and thus, traders are encouraged to utilise such facilitiesfor orderly business transactions. Undesignated vending has also given alarming rise to littering and unhygienic practices in Victoria Falls hence in the quest to restore order, council has deployed its security personnel to clear the community of unlicensed traders.“Those found trading from undesignated areas and operating without licences will be penalised,” he said.

Mr Dube encouraged residents and stakeholders to report anyone foundtrading illegally.

The worst affected areas had been Comesa Market, popularly known as Emaplankeni where illegal traders had set vending stalls in front of the main designated market area. Shops including big supermarkets have expressed concern over loss of business as hawkers also sell in front of shops.

Transport operators from surrounding areas had also established an illegal pick and drop off point near Comesa market causing congestion.

Zambian hawkers also camp behind the market from where they sell their wares including mealie meal, fresh farm produce and clothes.

A whole shop operator, Mr Noel Dzimbanhete said there was sanity after the blitz.

“We had a lot of issues with council because the licences that we pay are expensive as a wholesaler and when people are allowed to sell in front of shops we lose business. This did not only disturb our business but caused congestion but following the blitz, the place is now clean and there is order, and now there is parking space and people are moving around freely,” said Mr Dzimbanhete.

He said people may be angry but they should be encouraged to occupy space at designated markets.

Mr Dzimbanhete encouraged council to continuously monitor to avoid a situation whereby traders and businesses may end up boycotting to pay rates.

An informal trader, Ms Gugulethu Ndlovu implored the local authority to device strategies of harnessing revenue from everyone who comes to sell in the city, including some traders who travel from other towns in the country to sell goods and catch the next bus back.

“The council has played its role, they tried to clear the streets except for Zambians and I think the issue now remains with the Immigration Department to find a way of controlling movement at the

border. It’s a process we understand but we are grateful that the council has shown capability despite manpower shortages,” she said.

Ms Ndlovu said controlling illegal trading will help minimise littering. “We are not advocating for ban on trading but we are appealing for sanity whereby everyone sells from designated places,” she said.

Victoria Falls Traders Association (VFTA) chair Mr Ian Sibanda commended the local authority management for restoring sanity to thecity. “We are thanking the council management for cleaning the city after we toured problem areas with the Town Clerk. The council stated that it has challenges with manpower but we are happy with what they have done so far,” he said.

Zambian hawkers were, however, still being spotted doing their usual door-to-door selling.-@ncubeleon