license

Hwange municipality revises license fees downwards

Hwange Local Board (HLB) recently revised traders’ license fees to $5  in response to an outcry by Hwange vendors and traders who complained about the high, prohibitive cost of license fees that were initially pegged at $10. The development comes in the wake of an Advocacy Training workshop conducted by Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) in Hwange. Under the BVTA’s tutelage, Hwange vendors and informal traders were trained on among other skills, advocacy skills that envisage the empowerment of vendors and informal traders in speaking out on issues that affect them. Having been empowered by the much needed training, the upbeat Hwange informal traders approached the municipality to air their grievances chief of which were the license fees. They successfully managed to have the fees reviewed downwards to $5 from $10.  Most vendors prefer to trade at undesignated places because they cannot  afford to pay for licenses. They occupy illegal trading places and this exposes them to harassment from law enforcement officers and harsh environmental conditions.  Vending is a source of employment and income for many people in Zimbabwe because of the harsh economic climate that has seen industries shutting down, leaving many with no choice but to join the vending bandwagon.

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“Speed up the licensing process” – BCC urged

Market Bailiffs who monitor COVID-19 compliance in markets under the Market Aggregation COVID-19 Vendors Response – Market Access project funded by Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) under the Sizimele Consortium have observed that only vendors and traders with licenses are allocated designated vending bays and are the only ones allowed to operate in markets. Most vendors and informal traders are not licensed resulting in them trading in undesignated areas, this is due to the centralisation of license offices and slow process during the current licensing process. Speaking on condition of anonymity to the Special Edition Vendors Voice one prominent trader said the licensing process has not been very clear, transparent nor smooth over the years. “Look, right now preference and priority is being given to traders in the CBD, when are they going to license traders in high density areas who are also equally deserving to trade in proper designated areas?” quizzed the trader. A significant number of vendors and informal traders told Market Bailiffs that they possess expired licenses and have been failing to renew them, because the local authority has not released a clear schedule on the licensing process.  It has been observed that vendors who have licenses easily abide by local authority By-laws, regulations and can easily adhere to stipulated laws like trading in designated areas. Some Small and Medium Enterprise owners have been trained on the importance of obtaining licenses through the Business and Financial Literacy trainings under the Market Aggregation Project. Most of them now have the requirements for obtaining a license which include fingerprints and passport sized photos, however council has not initiated the schedule for applications in high density areas.

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