Mangaliso Kabulika
HARARE City Council has encouraged small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to register with the council so they can gain access to smarter facilities, providing market traders and operators with a functional, healthier and more conducive working environment.
According to Harare mayor, Ian Makone, SMEs are vital to the development of urban economies, providing significant contributions to job creation, entrepreneurship, innovation, social stability and economic growth.
He advised the council team to educate traders about the benefits of registration and increasing willingness to comply.
Additionally, the registration will permit SMEs to legally present themselves in a designated market with customers, enabling service and demand location.
“This registration is a good practical skill to adopt within the central business district where everyone is busy.
“It will enable us to provide facilities that are smart for the future so that our market traders and operators can operate in a healthy and functional environment.
“We will in turn have the money which is not based on exorbitant charges, but only US$1 per day. From the number of vendors available, we can get sufficient urban resources to plough back into the system.
“We call for mass education to make people register willingly and understand the benefits that come with it. With this education, the buyers will also know the specific areas to go when they want second-hand clothes or vegetables.
“Our planners should get on the ground and understand what places are feasible for these market places so as to plan properly,” said Makone.