By Audrey Galawu
The City of Harare Small to Medium Enterprise committee (SMEs) on Tuesday announced reduced fees for informal traders after vendors complained about the high tariffs that were being charged.
In a statement, the SMEs committee chairperson Denford Ngadziore said vendors were disgruntled over high fees that were charged by the council.
The past charges have suffocated many vendors who depend on vending as their only source of income.
Most of them end up engaging in running battles with the municipal police as they cannot afford the fees.
“Many informal traders in Harare have been complaining about the high fees charged to them. As a committee, in consultation with informal traders and their representatives, we have reviewed downwards all Informal traders’ fees,” read the statement.
The Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Association (ZCIEA) Secretary General Wisbourn Malaya said the association welcomes the reduction of fees by the council.
“We are happy that the council has reduced fees for informal traders …. It’s a positive improvement. The city council should engage traders’ associations more in the future for more improvement that
benefits the traders,” he said.
Malaya added the city council should desist from sending municipal police to harass vendors as it fuels corruption and paints a bad picture for the council.
Open air flea markets now pay a fee of USD$25 a month from the USD$70 charged in the past, while Mbare flea Market vendors pay USD$50 a month.
• Lusaka Vegetable Market from USD$10 a day to USD8 day,
• Mbare Farmers Market from USD$16 a day to USD10 a day
• Push Carts from USD$14 weekly to USD$7 weekly.
• Porters now pay USD$5 week compared to the USD$10 they paid in the past.
• Mbare rank bus entry fee has been reduced by USD$10 and they now pay USD$20 per entry
• Simple structure market from USD$70 a month to USD$25 a month.
• Open air Market (Vegetable) from USD$40 a month to USD$25 a month
• Truck Traders USD$20 a day.
• Tuckshops USD$50 a month
• Mbare Siyaso Home Industry USD$200 a month
• Glenview Area 8 Complex USD$100 a month.
• Mupedzanhamo Market USD$100 a month
• Gazaland Home Industry USD$100 a month
• Other home industries are expected to pay USD$50 a month.
The vendors registration fee is now USD$10 to be paid once off and the money to be collected from the informal sector will be ring fenced so it helps in the building of more trading places.
The committee has revealed that all informal traders will be registered with the City of Harare for the purpose of planning and budgeting and Park Street will open on weekends.
“After many complaints removal of the weekend flee market along Park Street will commence soon. The 2017 Council resolution which gave traders permission to trade along Park Street has been rescinded
and a notice to vacate has been served,” he said.
Meanwhile Malaya has appealed to the council to start awareness programs engaging traders and involving them in important matters that affect them.
The committee also reviewed their plans to modernise and upgrade council ranks which include Fourth Street Bus terminus, Copacabana, Mbare, Market Square and National
Sports Stadium long distance bus terminus.
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