AT least 60% of vendors in Bulawayo are women while men constitute the reminder with the percentage expected to rise due to the rising unemployment rate in Zimbabwe, a research conducted recently reveals.
It further revealed that the majority of vendors on the Bulawayo central business district (CBD)’s streets are unlicensed and significantly impacts formal businesses, traders and the council’s revenue potential.
The Bulawayo Informal Sector Survey Report was conducted by a German-based foundation that works on social justice and democracy — Freidrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in partnership with the City of Bulawayo.
Speaking on the results, research consultant Ruth Chomola said more than 60% of respondents during the survey said they depended heavily on vending for livelihoods.
She added that this meant that the informal sector could not be ignored in Zimbabwe’s policy formulation and programming.
“Vending is a reality that is not going away soon and has stood the test of time, considering that some respondents have been selling on the streets for more than 15 years.
“Women continue to dominate the sector and represent around 64% of informal vendors in the CBD while men represent 36%, and the number is projected to increase as unemployment continues to force them on to the streets,” Chomola said.
She said there was need to utilise new technologies to improve access to licensing and compliance services to minimise corruption and rent-seeking practices as a majority of the vendors are not licensed.
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“Only 31% of vendors in the CBD are licensed. This can also be attributed to the phenomenon of transitory vendors. The council and the vendors share a common understanding regarding the need for regularisation, formalisation and improved working conditions,” Chomola said.
“There is a growing phenomenon of transitory vendors who frequently come to Bulawayo from other parts of the country to sell their wares for short periods of time and then return.”
Speaking to Southern Eye, FES programmes manager Ntando Dumani said the study would enable the city to plan from an informed perspective and become a starting point for sustained dialogue between the city fathers and the informal sector.
“Considering that Zimbabwe is facing high levels of unemployment, the informal sector is not going anywhere and the informal sector is a key contributor to the economic growth and development in the country.
“What is missing at this point is a committed action following the realisation that their position in terms of policy as well practices, programming and attitudes which enable them to thrive and contribute to the growth of our society,” Dumani said.
Bulawayo mayor David Coltart said the report would help the city in the planning processes.
“The percentage of women in the informal sector is important to us because it’s an indication that women are the most vulnerable group in our society.
“As the city plans we need to take into account that statistics, how single mothers look after their children, is it a safe environment, woman are the most vulnerable in the informal sector due to lack of structures in their work environments,” he said.
