VEGETABLE TRADERS AT DOLA HILL MALL EVICTED

TRADERS at farmers market section at Dola Hill Mall in Ndola have been given a twoweek ultimatum to vacate the premises.

But traders have complained that it was unfair for management to evict them and alleged that they had information that the space would be allocated to a Chinese trader.

In an interview with the Daily Nation at the weekend, the traders said they did not want to resort to street vending and appealed to management to rescind the decision.

James Mwanza, a vegetable trader, complained that management at the mall ordered them to vacate the premises and that they had no an alternative place to do their business.

Mr Mwanza said there were reports that management of the mall wanted to give the trading space to a Chinese client.

“There has been a rumour going around that the owners of the shopping Mall want to give the trading space to a Chinese client who has offered them more money in terms of rent. There¶s no smoke without fire,” he said.

Another trader, Julia Makofi, also bemoaned the eviction from the farmers market, stating that it was unfair for Dola Hill Mall management to “chase” Zambians from the place just because a foreigner was willing to pay more in rentals.

The traders have since threatened to get back to street vending if they were pushed out of the market, insisting that they had nowhere to sell their products from to earn a livelihood.

But Dola Hill Centre Manager, Gabriel Mwansakombe noted that the farmers market was just temporary arrangement and traders were duly informed at the time they took up the space.

Mr Mwansakombe admitted that management had given the farmers market traders, who sold vegetables, a two-week ultimatum to vacate the place.