Bulawayo City food outlets violate regulations

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has flagged more than 90 food establishments for various operational violations, issuing warnings, condemnation orders, and fines following a series of recent inspections aimed at curbing non-compliance with health regulations.

According to a health inspectorate report presented by the city's director of health services, Dr. Edwin Mzingwane Sibanda, the violations included operating without valid licenses or certificates. The report highlighted widespread non-compliance across the sector, with some well-known businesses cited for breaches. Among them were Foodies' Butchery, Voluntary Meats, OK Zimbabwe, Mega Supermarket, and several liquor outlets.

The inspections formed part of 1,374 compliance checks carried out for licensing, monitoring, and enforcement purposes. During council discussions on the report, councillors expressed concern over the scale of the violations. Councillor Adrian Moyo underscored the need for improved public education on how operators can acquire proper documentation, noting that many offenders lacked basic knowledge on licensing procedures. "Many operators don't know how to obtain proper documentation, making enforcement difficult," the report noted.

Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo raised additional concerns about the proliferation of liquor outlets operating beyond their licensed mandate. She noted an increasing trend of bottle stores operating as bars, and sports bars transforming into nightclubs in residential areas. These unregulated activities, she warned, have contributed to rising substance abuse among youths, environmental degradation, and noise disturbances in affected communities.

The report further indicated that 95% of liquor sellers in the city were operating without proper licensing, resulting in substantial revenue losses for the municipality. Some enforcement officers were accused of accepting bribes from non-compliant businesses, further undermining council efforts to uphold health and safety standards.

In response, the council's chamber secretary Sikhangele Zhou announced plans to ramp up public awareness by disseminating information on licensing requirements through social media platforms. All licensing applications will now be processed at City Hall's Office 6 to centralize and streamline operations.

Key enforcement strategies will include prioritising operations in the central business district before extending to residential areas. The council will also enforce special consent procedures requiring public notices and neighbour notifications for liquor license applications, allowing for objection periods to promote community involvement in the licensing process.

The report clarified that only sports bars equipped with proper facilities would be permitted to operate within residential areas, and these would be restricted to operating hours between 10:00 AM and 10:30 PM.

BCC statistics show a steady flow of licensing applications this year, with 105 shop license applications received in January, 78 in February, 79 in March, 52 in April, and 81 in May.

Looking ahead, the council has committed to intensifying inspections and expanding enforcement teams to tackle the growing compliance challenges. The report highlighted corruption as a major factor contributing to the continued flouting of council health regulations by food establishments across the city.