Mangaliso Kabulika
COUNCIL officials toured Harare during rush hour to gain insight into the challenges faced by vendors and the growing problem of illegal litter dumping.
The team also visited skip points, which have become hotspots for shop owners illegally disposing of waste. Mayor Ian Makone displayed his understanding of the plight of vendors, but also called for the importance of keeping the city clean.
Council recently gave businesses a 14-day ultimatum to have bins outside their premises to promote cleanliness in the central business district, in line with the Harare anti-litter by-law.
“I understand the problems faced by people in the country who are trying to make ends meet through vending.
“There is still a need to keep the city clean by avoiding littering the streets. Businesspeople must use bins to dump rubbish and not litter the city centre.
“Shop owners are in the habit of dumping litter on skip points which are meant only for the city centre,” said Makone.