The City of Bulawayo has embarked on a drive to decentralize food markets activities to the suburban areas as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID 19.
In addition, Council has abolished some of the Central Business District sites that had become possible health hazards and has ensured compliance to COVID 19 guidelines and regulations by making Bulawayo a resilient City contemporary and for the future possible pandemics.
The Director of Housing and Community Services, Mr D Khumalo said the City had availed a number of sites in the suburban areas for take up by Food Market Wholesalers and five sites were allocated to Bulawayo Farmers Market Association.
“Highlanders Site has accommodated over 200 clothing informal traders and is thriving as evidenced by increase in takers in the past weeks. The site is now full to capacity and also accommodates other informal traders who are into odds and ends,” he said.
He added that Emganwini Site had the potential to thrive but this was thwarted by landlords from Mupedzanhamo Association who were charging exorbitant prices that were beyond the reach of both Wholesalers and Vendors.
Mr Khumalo highlighted that Old Pumula Site did not have any takers from the Wholesalers but is thriving from a Vendors perspective who have utilised the well maintained Council infrastructure.
He said “5 applications seeking to embark on Wholesale Food markets in Cowdray Park had been received and were under Council consideration. The applicants were both companies and individuals experienced in the fruits and vegetable market,”
Mr Khumalo noted that all Central Business District sites had been redesigned and were ready for allocation. Part of these sites included the Highlanders, Lobhengula, Bhaktas, City Hall and ZESA (12th Avenue) sites. The section has to expedite the redesigning of the outstanding sites for the suburban areas.
To date, Council has allocated bays at Highlanders, City Hall and Nkulumane Shopping centre 5 and Bhaktas All the suburban shopping centres have been allocated vending spaces and all the mentioned sites will accommodate all forms of legal informal traders like fruits and vegetables, clothing and other things.
In terms of challenges, Mr Khumalo said lack of funding to procure the requisite material and equipment was delaying the allocation process and unwillingness to embrace proposed sites by vendors leading to delay in further allocations as some of those with licences are not forth coming has been a challenge.
“Private Wholesalers have derailed the decentralization policy in Emganwini as they charge prices beyond the reach of many. This has serious implications as the City is congested again as vendors seek cheaper products in town. 5th Avenue Wholesale Markets still draw huge crowds as people queue up until shops close to get products at wholesale prices. In some sites, marking becomes very difficult as the grounds are not surfaced or paved,” said Mr Khumalo.
He highlighted that Council was engaging other state enforcement agencies like Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Army to help clear vendors who have again occupied the streets of Bulawayo particularly 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue. Vendors had developed a resistant attitude towards Bulawayo City Centre enforcement as they prefer to lose the few wares to Council police and come back to the same place a few minutes after the raid.
