Har­are removes street kids in blitz

Harare City Council's operation to remove children living on the streets from the central business district has been met with widespread approval from women, who say they have long borne the brunt of aggressive begging and theft.

The council confirmed the crackdown yesterday, saying municipal police, led by Chief Superintendent Mhizha, rounded up street children who had become a growing menace in the city.

"Municipal police officers led by Chief Superintendent Mhizha rounded up street kids in the Central Business District," Harare City Council spokesperson Stanley Gama said. "The street kids are becoming a menace in the city, harassing residents and stealing from them. They have also become notorious for committing horrendous crimes."

Gama said all those rounded up were taken to the police. The operation has been welcomed by many women who say the activities of the street children had resulted in significant personal and financial losses.

The youngsters, whose ages reportedly range from five to 20, are accused of creating a climate of fear by snatching cellphones, purses and food, and by aggressively targeting women's accessories such as wigs and jewellery.

Vimbai Gwesu, a 17-year-old from Warren Park, said she had repeatedly fallen victim to the thefts.

"I lost almost three frontal wigs to these street kids; they just snatch and flee," she said. "The combined value of the wigs was US$150, considering that I bought each one at US$50."

Other victims reported losing jewellery and electronic gadgets, saying the council's action was long overdue.

"I lost my headphones at the corner of Robert Mugabe and Chinhoyi," said one woman who identified herself only as Tanaka. "The guy came up behind me and just grabbed them. I screamed, but nobody came to help."

While residents welcomed the operation, many cautioned that a once-off blitz would not be enough to deal with the entrenched problem of street children in the city.

"The blitz on street kids should be done regularly," said Ms Chiyedza Zvikaramba. "They can disappear for a few days, but next week they will resurface again, so these operations should be done almost every week."

Another resident, who requested anonymity, said it was ironic that many of the crimes occurred in close proximity to City Council offices.

"It's sad that these street kids are always roaming around the Town House boundary. The city fathers can actually see them from their offices, but this is a good start. There should be regular blitzes every week," the resident said.

When contacted for comment, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was yet to receive a report on the operation.

Africa Unity Square, Harare Gardens and areas around Town House are among the locations most frequently cited by residents as hotspots where street children are allegedly snatching people's belongings and harassing pedestrians.