ZCTU Condemns Night Street Vending, Secondhand Clothes Ban Without Alternatives

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has expressed concern over a directive by the Minister of Local Government, Daniel Garwe, banning night street vending and the sale of second-hand clothes.

ZCTU acting spokesperson, Runesu Dzimiri, said that while they acknowledge the negative impacts of night street vending, including reduced domestic resource mobilisation, urban disorder, health risks from poor waste disposal, and inadequate sanitation, all of which undermine service delivery and the maintenance of a clean, safe urban environment, the union believes that banning street vending without providing alternatives is not in the best interests of the people of Zimbabwe. Said Dzimiri:

“Around 88 percent of the population are working in the informal economy. The Government of Zimbabwe should acknowledge the role of poor policies and governance in the collapse of the economy and high unemployment rate.

“The chaos we are witnessing in the streets is not merely defiance of public policy and town planning but a public outcry to the deep economic crisis, poverty and lack of sustainable income they are facing.

“The streets are congested with millions of graduates from tertiary institutions, because the economy has failed to create enough jobs to absorb job seekers owing to the collapse of the industry

“Unemployment and the high cost of living are also factors forcing citizens into night vending.”

Dzimiri said the small proportion of people in formal employment are barely earning a living wage and are now supplementing their incomes through vending. Therefore, vending is not a choice but a response to high unemployment.

He added that, while the establishment of vending stalls in areas such as Mbare and other sites is a positive development, limited accessibility to these locations remains a barrier, discouraging people from occupying the stalls. Said Dzimiri:

“Night vending is popular because those who will be coming from work can easily pass by buying from vendors as opposed to the established stalls where the working class has to travel there or wait for weekends.”

Dzimiri suggested that instead of banning vending, the government should regulate night vending by designating specific areas for it and allocating spaces for a set fee. The funds should be used to ensure proper waste disposal and sanitation to keep the environment clean and safe.

He also urged the government to focus on job creation, as outlined in the National Development Strategy (NDS1), to provide sustainable employment and reduce the need for street vending.

In addition, he called for a national minimum living wage above the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) so that those in formal jobs do not have to rely on vending to supplement their income. Added Dzimiri:

“The informal economy is a reality that the government should not fix with make-shift policies or statements to address but to strategically address.

“The lasting solutions will not only benefit the government but its people as it will address social protection and extend safety nets for the people will of Zimbabwe.

“Any act should strike a balance between discharge of public duty and protection of vulnerable members of the community.

“The mantra of leaving no person and no place behind should encompass policy making processes.

“This ban will leave many unemployed and vulnerable women, youths and graduates roaming in the streets vending behind, suffering and continuously wallowing in poverty.

“The Vision 2030 of an upper middle class income economy needs strategic interventions to address the economic crisis not these drastic, repulsive orders that will only cause chaos as police chase vendors without addressing the root causes of the challenges facing millions of Zimbabwe.”