Mutare residents violate Covid-19 regulations
AS Zimbabwe is halfway through the intense Level Four lockdown, some Mutare residents have started defying regulations.
The Government announced a strict 30-day national lockdown to curb the spread of the Covid-19 second wave.
Despite the central business district (CBD) being largely deserted as people heeded the lockdown measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic, it is a rather different story in residential areas where vendors are seen going about their routines even after 3pm.
Sakubva, Hobhouse, Chikanga and Dangamvura residents are flouting lockdown regulations as they lament that life is becoming difficult for them and being in January makes it worse.
“We have tried to take heed of lockdown regulations put by the Government, but hunger is forcing us to go into the streets to hustle.
“What’s making it worse is that January is actually a financially challenging month for everyone regardless of where you are employed and you can imagine how hard it is for the informal sector, of which most of them live from hand to mouth.
“I have to take my chances so that I can put food on the table for my family and I usually set my table around 4 o’clock which is usually the peak hour as people will be coming to buy vegetables, tomatoes and other products,” said one of the vendors who identified herself as Mai Two.
Another vendor told H-Metro that at times it was frustrating that their customers do not observe the precautionary measures.
“Some of the customers are ignoring the health guidelines or they don’t even understand the safety measures in place.
“Others will be putting their masks on the chin and at times social distance is not observed as we will be jostling for potential customers.
“We know that it is very risky working in an environment where there are no sanitisers or temperature checks, but we also face a real risk of starvation,” said Patience Makuyana, a fruit vendor at Hobhouse.
Some of the vendors highlighted that they need some help economically from the Government so that they do not take risks by breaking lockdown regulations.
“The safest way to survive during this pandemic is to get economic assistance from the Government.
“We are also in a difficult situation as we are facing total loss of customers and at times we have to play cat-and-mouse with law enforcement agencies.
“We are forced to sell at these undesignated places as it is strategic in case the police or soldiers come and we start selling from this hour (4 pm) until around 7.30pm,” said Tatenda Matengwa, a vegetable vendor in Sakubva.
These unfortunate developments come as the lockdown has started showing some positive signs as the infection rate, while still high, is dropping.