Harare Goes After Vendors

Vendors that dump rubbish at their ports of sale risk arrest, according to HARARE City Council Small to Medium Enterprise Committee Chair Danford Ngadziore.

The central business district’s (CBD) cleanliness will be improved, and the urban environment will be preserved.

Vendors’ unlawful litter dumping has been a problem for the city, and Ngadziore warned that violators will face arrests.

“We have over 80 000 vendors in the evening, so even if we hire 3,000 cleaners in the CBD, they won’t be able to clean the entire city.

These suppliers must therefore be involved in the solution. We have to talk to them and teach them. Arrest for trash will occur if you don’t follow the rules.

In the event of an arrest, the legal team needs to devise a minimal fine; nevertheless, it needs to be reasonably priced to prevent our staff from turning to bribery.

“The council can generate income from the issue of littering,” he stated.

Nevertheless, several vendors have made it clear that, in the absence of council-provided containers, it is not always feasible for them to properly dispose of their trash.

“The council does not offer dumpsters for us to dispose the litter, therefore this whole arrest problem is nonsensical. We finally throw it away somewhere.

“Where do they expect us to put litter when some of the bins in the CBD are full, not even empty, and some have holes in them from burning litter?

Mai Mayengwa, a vendor, stated, “They should address the issue of bins first before arresting us.”

Dumping sites are far from where they sell, according to another merchant.

“I can’t abandon my company to throw trash outside. How am I going to meet my profit target while taking care of litter when there are so many merchants here and competition? The merchant stated.

Nyasha Ruzvidzo, a shoe vendor, stated:

“The idea regarding arrests and fines is a really good one. Litter has been a problem for us, especially from the vegetable merchants. It has gotten worse during this rainy and mazhanje season; it is an ugly sight.

“It will at least encourage them to sweep the area or carry throwaway containers so they can dispose of all of their trash in them.”