Staff Reporter
Kwekwe City Council has warned vendors against selling drugs and alcohol at designated vending sites in violation of municipal bylaws, saying it will inspect markets to ensure traders comply with the conditions under which they were allocated stalls.
Council director of Health Services Dr Munyaradzi Murwira said the local authority would take action against vendors found using their stalls for purposes other than those approved by council.
Speaking during a City of Kwekwe stakeholders’ meeting on the national clean-up campaign, restoration of order and safety, Dr Murwira said the inspections would also assess the adequacy of existing vending facilities and compliance with hygiene requirements.
“We are noticing that some of the people who were allocated market stalls are now operating outside council bylaws by selling drugs and alcohol in unauthorised places. This is the problem that has to be addressed,” he said.
Dr Murwira said council would also compile a register of vendors operating in the city, with those who had not been allocated vending spaces placed on a waiting list.
He said the exercise would help council establish the number of vendors requiring formal trading spaces and determine whether existing markets could accommodate them.
Kwekwe currently has 27 markets with 1 232 vending bays, including two farmers’ markets located in the central business district and Mbizo.
Dr Murwira said some existing market stalls required refurbishment, while council would identify areas where new markets could be constructed to accommodate vendors.
He added that council would work to ensure all markets had access to water and functional toilets, while traders would be expected to maintain cleanliness and order at their respective vending sites.
The inspections come as local authorities intensify efforts to restore order and improve sanitation in public spaces under the national clean-up campaign.
Dr Murwira also reminded vendors of the operating hours introduced in line with government directives, saying traders in the central business district would be permitted to operate from 6am to 6pm, while those in residential areas would operate from 6am to 8pm.
