Bulawayo mayor David Coltart has called for a humane and orderly relocation of informal traders, urging authorities to provide alternative vending sites before taking action against those operating from undesignated areas.
Coltart identified areas including Nkulamani and Egodini as potential alternatives, while calling for work at Bhakta’s to be expedited to increase the availability of vending spaces.
“And, of course, on top of that, we have some 10,000 vending sites right across the city. That needs to be advertised to vendors so they know there is an alternative,” he said.
“This isn't just a gun to their heads. These are our fellow residents. Sixty-four percent of vendors are women. Many of them are single mothers. They need what they do to raise their children, to pay school fees.”
He said the city could not address informal trading through heavy-handed measures without considering the social and economic circumstances of those dependent on vending for survival.
“We cannot deal with them in a harsh way, but it needs to be something that's symbiotic, where we say very clearly with government we want to restore order, but at the same time, our own management must be efficient,” he said.
Coltart expressed confidence that cooperation between the authorities and traders would help the city achieve its goal of restoring order while respecting vendors' rights and protecting their livelihoods.
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