Informal traders and residents have been rejecting Bulawayo City Council proposed 2019 budget at various meetings that were held over the weekend as part of BCC efforts to review of 2018 budget and presentation of the proposed 2019 budget. In the meetings attended by BVTA, vendors and residents felt the proposed budget is not responsive to their needs whilst they pay rates.
Contributing in one meeting Mr Aleck Ndlovu, an informal cross border trader said “The BCC capital expenditure budget is silent on provision of vendors and informal traders infrastructure”. Informal traders said the budget did not address their needs such as constructing toilets in market places, provision of running water and responding to burst sewer pipes.
The majority residents and vendors rejected the proposed 2019 budget and urged the local authority to revise and include their issues in the budget. Mr Mthandazo Bhebhe, a BVTA representative present at the meeting said “We pay and Bulawayo City must deliver services”.
The consultative meetings are being facilitated by Ward councillors and are expected to end on the 2nd of October 2018, according to a public notice circulated by Bulawayo City Council. The local authority has invited Industry and Commerce, Civil Society Organizations, Bulawayo Informal Traders, Media and Residents Associations to a public consultative meeting on 02 October 2018 from 0900hrs – 1200hrs at Small City Hall.