BULAWAYO councillors have raised concern over a surge in illegal food vending activities, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to public health and safety.
Ward 25 councillor Aleck Ndlovu said he was deeply concerned about the city’s deteriorating health standards, noting that reports pointed to growing lawlessness and a sharp increase in unregulated food vendors.
“Cooked food is now commonly being sold at street corners and from vehicle boots, exposing consumers to potential health risks,” Ndlovu said.
He drew a clear distinction between licensed operators and illegal vendors, stressing that those who operate outside council regulations were putting the public in danger.
“Most of these illegal operators are not compliant with council bylaws and pose a serious risk to consumers,” he said.
Ndlovu said many vendors ignored requirements to operate from designated areas and maintain clean environments, instead preparing food in unsanitary conditions, including makeshift kitchens and plastic containers.
The situation is worsened by a chronic littering problem that has plagued Bulawayo for years.
Experts have indicated that unregulated food vendors often discard waste including plastic packaging, food scraps and polystyrene containers directly onto streets and drainage channels.
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This has choked storm drains in high-density suburbs like Nkulumane and Emakhandeni, contributing to localised flooding during rains.
Despite council clean-up campaigns and the introduction of skip bins, illegal vendors frequently bypass waste disposal facilities, leaving rotting food waste that attracts stray animals and disease-carrying insects.
Ndlovu said the crisis is further fuelled by illegal night trading, particularly at overnight car parks.
“Many vendors deliberately operate at night to evade law enforcement, taking advantage of reduced council presence,” he said.
“This has led to the proliferation of unregulated activities across the city.”
He warned that those who fail to do so would face strict enforcement measures and called on the relevant committee to strengthen bylaw enforcement to restore order and safeguard residents.
