By Zivanai Dhewa
The MDC Alliance led Harare City Council has come under attack from netizen on social media who have accused them of short-changing the vendors, by failing to provide them with proper vending infrastructure and ablution facilities despite thousands of dollars the council collect from them everyday.
Netizens negatively reacted to Harare Mayor Hebert Gomba who on his Twitter page posted that Harare City Council receive $3 per day from $15000 vendors.
“We have $15000 vendors who pay $3 per day by 30days of a month,” said Gomba
One netizen identified as Ashraf Ali Tabarara, questioned the deplorable state of the vendors’ stalls and lack of proper ablution and sanitary facilities in light of the amounts collected.
“If you are raking in an approximate of $1.3million a month then there is need for you to provide better vending facilities for these vendors. Moyisawo ma lights for the farmers vanotengesa kumbare because varikubirwa after they pay you money per day,” argued Tabarara.
Throwing a question into the debate, cyber troll Albert Dangarembizi also enquired on the justification of charging the vendors the $3 per day.
“Is $3 per day sustainable for these vendors, are you even providing them with better facilities to conduct their business?” questioned Dangarembizi
Other netizens drew the Moyor’s attention to the need to transform Harare into the sunshine city status.
“You are not there to punish the people but to find solutions and create a world class city, but of late your concentration is on revenue punishment on residents at the expense of refuse collection and roads rehabilitation,” said one netizen only identified as Silver.
Netizen Moris Mpala added his voice added saying,” Address the wage bill which is derailing any other service delivery especially any developmental projects that might be required.”
Social media has been ablaze with all the ills bedevilling Harare City Council, from workers that have gone for more than nine months without being paid, contentious privatisation of public parking space a system that goes against the spirit of the ease of doing business in Harare as well as corruption by the City Police who seem to be taking bribes from Commuter Omnibus Operators and vendors.
Inappropriation of council funds has led to poor service delivery in terms of road maintenance in and around the City Centre, collection of refuse and supply of clean water.
