MANY people, who survive through vending in towns and cities want the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Heads of State and Government Summit over as soon as possible for them to resume selling their wares to eke a living.
In an effort to spruce up the country’s image ahead of the Sadc summit, government embarked on an exercise to eject vendors, touts and unregistered kombis from major cities and towns across the country.
Government deployed police and soldiers to thwart any possible protests during the summit.
Since the operation started, vendors said their goods had been confiscated while fruits and vegetables had gone bad, adding that they would find it hard to stock again.
Fruit and vegetable vendor Christian Madambi said he lost goods worth US$200 and it would be difficult for him to replenish his stock.
“When the operation started, I had just ordered fruits for sale. However, most of my fruits are now rotten and it will be difficult for me to start all over again,” he said.
Chinhoyi vendor Marvelous Chitani, who used to sell soft drinks at a bus stop along the Harare-Chirundu Highway, said the situation was bad after being driven away from the highway.
“How can they remove us from the streets here in Chinhoyi when the summit meeting is far away in Harare? I am still to raise money to pay last month’s rent and I don’t know if I will manage again this month,” Chitani said.
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Another vendor, who declined to be named, equated the Sadc summit to the COVID-19 era when people were restricted to their homes, with little business activities taking place.
“To us, the Sadc summit reminds us of the COVID-19 period. Actually, the Sadc summit is worse because it is oppression of man by man,” the vendor said.
Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation executive director Samuel Wadzai said it was disturbing to see vendors being chased away from the streets without being given alternative places to ply their trade.
“We have always reminded the government time and again that it should provide an alternative place for vendors to sell their products before it chases them away from the streets,” he said.
