BULAWAYO councillors have urged the local authority to be strict in enforcing by-laws against Zanu PF-linked space barons to restore order in the central business district (CBD).
They cited the sprouting of informal vending spaces along street pavements in the CBD, in what they said made Bulawayo look like a jungle.
Bulawayo was once seen as one of the cleanest cities, but city fathers said that is long gone because of lawlessness in the CBD.
Ward 28 councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu said 5th Avenue was now impassable because of illegal vending activities.
“The congestion within 5th Avenue is worrisome as vendors have illegally occupied that space where there are no toilets, hence they are relieving themselves in open spaces, causing high chances of spreading diseases like cholera,” he said.
“The illegal occupying of spaces by vendors has made the movement of pedestrians hard. The owners of some shops within the CBD have been complaining that vendors block movement of their customers inside their shops.”
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Ward 3 councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu said the situation along 5th Avenue should be addressed as a matter of urgency.
“The area has a bad smell and is dirty, exposing the public to diseases,” he said.
Bulawayo Traders and Vendors Association director Michael Ndiweni said illegal vendors had taken over the street.
“The illegal vendors occupying that area are at a risk of causing and spreading diseases as the area does not have toilets and we do not encourage such conduct from vendors,” he said.
“As an association, we distance ourselves from those vendors occupying undesignated areas as this increases the chances of diseases due to lack of adequate facilities like toilets.”
Since 2022, Zanu PF-linked space barons have illegally invaded spaces along 5th Avenue and are illegally allocating trading bays to ruling party members.
They are also collecting fees from the vendors on a weekly basis.
This illegal allocation of trading bays, however, has created chaos in the CBD, with some areas becoming impassable.