HARARE – Shop owners in Harare’s central business district (CBD) have welcomed the joint exercise by the Harare City Council and Zimbabwe Republic Police to transfer vendors to designated vending sites.
The record number of illegal vendors who had occupied the CBD of Harare had not only made the streets impassable but were unfairly eating into the market of properly registered business located.
Business owners who spoke to the State media applauded the joint exercise not only as fair but provides a conducive and orderly trading environment.
“These streets were an eyesore, we are not able to offload our stocks and sales had gone down. Some of the people were taking advantage of the situation by stealing from our shops and we lost due to this. Those vendors selling clothes like us were making a killing as they were less than us because they do not pay rent, salaries, taxes and the like,” said some shop owners.
The authorities have not only removed the vendors but have identified sites where there is proper infrastructure to conduct their business legally.
The ZRP continues to monitor the streets as some defiant vendors are attempting to come back to the CBD.
Progressive voices have called on the government to extend the same sword to illegal foreign currency dealers who are equally contributing in killing the economy.
