News / Local
BCC evicts Egodini traders
04 Oct 2013 at 02:38hrs | Views
THE BULAWAYO City Council has issued a four-month notice to small-scale businesspeople operating around the Batch Street terminus popularly known as Egodini, to vacate the premises by December 19 as it wants to turn the place into a regional transport hub and shopping complex.
In a notice (Ref TR8) dated August 19 2013 which Southern Eye is in possession of, council resolved to offer an undisclosed company a tender to redevelop the area.
"You are therefore given four months' notice from the date of this letter (19 August 2013) to wind up your business operations and vacate the premises. This also implies that you should clear all your arrears amounting to $2 898,95 as at August 31 2013, within this period," part of the notice reads.
Business people operating in the area, including vendors, expressed disappointment at the latest directive and accused the council of impoverishing them.
George Mafirakureva, director of Zimbabwe College in Batch Street just across the road from the terminus, said the four months' notice is too short for the education establishment.
"The major problem is that by March next year we would be having international examinations which affect 200 students," he said.
"At least if they had given us 12 months' notice it would have been better, but now how are we going to plan? Who will compensate these students who have paid their fees?"
Mafirakureva said according to the Education ministry, if one moved from one place to another, one is required to reregister, which is stressful.
Another businessman who preferred to remain anonymous, also echoed Mafirakureva's sentiments saying the council's move was not favourable to them.
"This is not right. They were supposed to give people at least a year's notice. It is not friendly and convinient to people," Mafirakureva said.
"This will affect many people especially those selling goods at their stands."
He also questioned the capacity of the unnamed company awarded the tender to redevelop the area.
"How long will it take to develop this place? Do they have capacity? Who is behind it? I believe this will destroy our infrastructure," he said.
A clothing vendor said she was at a loss for words about council's move to evict them.
"How on earth are we going to feed our families? At least if the council had provided us with alternative space, it was going to be better," she said.
Contacted for comment, council's public relations officer Nesisa Mpofu professed ignorance of the eviction notice and asked Southern Eye to e-mail her questions in writing.
Mpofu had still not responded to the questions two days after they were e-mailed to her.
In a notice (Ref TR8) dated August 19 2013 which Southern Eye is in possession of, council resolved to offer an undisclosed company a tender to redevelop the area.
"You are therefore given four months' notice from the date of this letter (19 August 2013) to wind up your business operations and vacate the premises. This also implies that you should clear all your arrears amounting to $2 898,95 as at August 31 2013, within this period," part of the notice reads.
Business people operating in the area, including vendors, expressed disappointment at the latest directive and accused the council of impoverishing them.
George Mafirakureva, director of Zimbabwe College in Batch Street just across the road from the terminus, said the four months' notice is too short for the education establishment.
"The major problem is that by March next year we would be having international examinations which affect 200 students," he said.
"At least if they had given us 12 months' notice it would have been better, but now how are we going to plan? Who will compensate these students who have paid their fees?"
Mafirakureva said according to the Education ministry, if one moved from one place to another, one is required to reregister, which is stressful.
"This is not right. They were supposed to give people at least a year's notice. It is not friendly and convinient to people," Mafirakureva said.
"This will affect many people especially those selling goods at their stands."
He also questioned the capacity of the unnamed company awarded the tender to redevelop the area.
"How long will it take to develop this place? Do they have capacity? Who is behind it? I believe this will destroy our infrastructure," he said.
A clothing vendor said she was at a loss for words about council's move to evict them.
"How on earth are we going to feed our families? At least if the council had provided us with alternative space, it was going to be better," she said.
Contacted for comment, council's public relations officer Nesisa Mpofu professed ignorance of the eviction notice and asked Southern Eye to e-mail her questions in writing.
Mpofu had still not responded to the questions two days after they were e-mailed to her.
Source - Southern Eye
