Harare vendors shun new stalls, structures collapse

VENDORS in Harare are shunning new designated sites with some infrastructure said to be destroyed by termites.

The Harare City Council's project of setting up new vending sites has become a white elephant as traders continue to boycott the designated points.

Some of the stalls are at City Sports Centre and Coventry Holding Bay and are said to have inadequate sanitary facilities.

According to ZBC, vendor organisations accuse council of scuttling the formalisation of the sector claiming some officials gain more through corruption from the chaos created by illegal vending.

Some traders claim they were invited by the city council to make proposals for partnerships in the maintenance of the sites but have not been contacted ever since.

Council, however, blames space barons for inflating the number of people in need of space.

Council says US$6 million has been budgeted for the sprucing up of the sites next year.

Vendors have since re-invaded the city pavements creating an eye sore as they invade private property for ablution facilities.

Running battles have been witnessed between the vendors and municipal police.