'Mugabe ordered council security to attack vendors'

Harare City council last week at the reaction to President Robert Mugabe's announcement that vendors must be removed from the streets, reportedly attacked the traders and confiscated their wares at the same time forcing them to pay fines.

An observer said the council officials pounced on vendors and brutally attacked them before they confiscated the wares of registered vendors at Rezende and market square flea markets.

"Council defrauded the vendors by making them pay $5 each as registration to go and trade at those sites but later come after them to attack them," said an observer.

See picture of one of the violence victims.