Ultimatum for Chiredzi vendors

VENDORS and taxi operators in Chiredzi have been given a 48-hour ultimatum to stop operating illegally, as part of efforts to bring sanity in the sugar cane growing town.

Chiredzi District Administrator Mr Lovemore Chisema told residents at Chitsanga Hall early this week that the ultimatum follows a directive given by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing that seeks to bring order in towns and cities.

“We received a directive from the Ministry (Local Government), which compels all vendors operating at undesignated places such as pavements in towns to move to designated vending sites,” he said.

“The directive is not targeting Chiredzi Town only, but is a nationwide initiative that is also being enforced in other big cities and towns in the country.’’

Chiredzi Town Council has already indicated a willingness to develop more alternative areas for vendors to operate from.

Town secretary Mr Charles Muchatukwa urged vendors to register so that they could be allocated vending places at designated sites.

“We have since started creating more space for vendors to operate in town,” he said.

Mr Muchatukwa said Chiredzi Town Council wanted to bring sanity in the town, which of late had descended into lawlessness owing to the mushrooming of unlicensed businesses.

Other towns in Masvingo have already started clamping down on vendors and pirate taxis.