By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
The Alliance of Community Based Organisations(ACBOs) as it celebrates Workers Day has called for the inclusive engagement and protection of informal traders.
Informal trading is the way of living for the majority of Zimbabweans and with the ongoing lockdown business has suffered threatening the livelihood of most families.
The 2020, Workers Day commemorations are being held under the theme “Stop Covid -19 pandemic – Scale up social protection and Dialogue, Save Jobs and Pay a Living Wage”.
The ACBOs urged government and local authorities to address urgent issues affecting the informal traders.
“As a matter of urgency, immediately stop the ongoing and scheduled demolitions. Embrace the informal sector, urgently engage in dialogue and implement a universal social protection model that will guarantee the fundamental social services and rights of informal traders. Focus on and direct resources towards ensuring the provision of information and training on occupational safety and health and provision of personal protective equipment supplies to include masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and water among others as part of prevention and control measures.”
The organisation went on to describe the demolishing of vendor’s stalls coutrywide as ‘unlawful’ and ‘unfair’.
Stalls in Harare, Gweru, Masvingo and other areas have been destroyed by councils.
“The ACBOs noted with grave concern, a circular dated 8 April 2020, in which the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works ordered rural and urban local authorities to comply with the 9th Cabinet Meeting resolution whose effect is aimed at taking advantage of the ongoing national lockdown to, “clean up Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and informal trader’s workspaces”. There has been demolition of informal sector workspaces without reasonable notice and allowance for those affected to remove their property, while some have issued ultimatums requiring citizens to remove their market stalls pending demolitions. The timing coupled with failure to consult, render such actions unlawful and administratively unfair,” noted ACBOs.
Informal trade plays a significant role in combating the menacing threats of unemployment, and has become an alternative to sustain livelihoods for communities.
Speaking on the same subject, Masvingo Chitima market Chairwoman, Tamisai Katini said the informal business should be taken seriously.
“Informal traders have been highly affected by the national lockdown and then comes the huge blow of stall being demolished, informal trading is not a crime but people are trying to make a living as we face economic hardships. We hope the stalls will be reinstated so that we get back to business after the end of the lockdown,” she said.
