Informal traders are essential service providers too

VENDORS Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (Viset) executive director, Samuel Wadzai has implored the government to recognise informal traders as essential service providers in order to ease their plight during the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

Wadzai made the plea while highlighting the challenges faced by vendors under lockdown.

The COVID-19-induced lockdown prohibits informal traders from operating, plunging them deeper into poverty as they have no alternative sources of livelihoods.

Wadzai described the informal traders as a critical part of the economy which needs support from the government in order to be able to carry out their operations in the midst of the pandemic.

He noted that once the government recognised them as essential service providers, various organisations will come through and assist them with necessary resources which will enable them to adhere to regulations which will prevent them from spreading or contracting the virus.

Wadzai explained that the reason why informal traders are usually found on the wrong side of the law is the fact that they have no alternative sources of income hence in a bid to fend for their families, they end up violating lockdown regulations.

He urged the government to take heed of the recommendations made by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to avail resources for people, especially the informal traders in order to enable them to get by while they are under lockdown. Centre for Innovation

and Technology