Local vendors cry foul as reopening of borders proves to be a curse
Delyse Ndlovu
VICTORIA FALLS-Vendors are up in arms with the Victoria Falls City Council which they accuse of sabotaging locals by granting preferential treatment to foreigners.
The reopening of borders after a long hiatus necessitated by Covid-19 had given local traders some hope but the optimism has since dissipated due to alleged mistreatment of the same by the local authority. According to the vendors, the Council has a “different rule” for Zambian traders who have freedom to roam the city and sell their wares door-to-door. On the other hand, the Council is said to be heavy-handed in its dealings with local vendors whose movements around the city are restricted.
“The council is being unfair to us by allowing Zambian vendors free rein while keeping a leash on us. They can freely sell their products to the local community but with us, it’s a different rule as we constantly have to evade raids while selling,” said Vincent Sibanda, a local vendor.
To compound the locals’ plight, the Council raised the trading licence fee to $15 per month up from $5.
The local vendors have requested a meeting with the Victoria Falls Mayor, Somvelo Dlamini to voice their concerns on the sharp rise of the licence fee.
Grace Shoko, a member of Youth Invest Zambezi Informal Cross Border Traders Association said, “…the issue involving the Zambian vendors is negatively affecting us. They are selling from door to door, which is making it difficult for us to get customers at the market, yet we pay rentals,” she said.
“Our protection should start from the government, through ZIMRA, who should ensure certain restrictions are put in place to reduce entry of these products into the country. Their presence in the market is forcing us to lower our prices to keep our old customers and attract new ones hence there is no room for growth and development for us. The Zambian vendors bring products to residents’ doorsteps, making it difficult for us to compete,” said Bongani Tshuma.
Royal Ndlovu, another member of Youth Invest Zambezi Informal Cross Border Traders Association said, “We are disappointed with the City Council because they promised to construct a big market that would accommodate all traders, both local and foreign but have not fulfilled the promise. This would have solved the problem because the mobile Zambians would have been forced to operate from one place just like local vendors.
About 800 to 1000 Zambian vendors cross the border into Zimbabwe everyday to sell their goods.The local vendors are losing out on business yet they are ratepayers,” said Ndlovu, adding that some local vendors had resorted to selling from undesignated places in order to remain competitive.
Zambian traders flock to Zimbabwe in search of the coveted United States dollars.
“For some of us, these businesses are our only sources of income. We expect that our complaints are taken seriously. We made better sales and profits before the borders were opened but now the reopening of borders has proved to be a curse,” said Blessing Sibanda.
Efforts to get a comment from Mayor Dlamini proved fruitless as he did not respond to messages from this reporter.
