By Panashe Divine Karidzagundi
Vendors operating at Tshitaudze Fruit and Vegetables Market and Mashavire Flea Market are concerned over what they describe as a lack of development and poor service delivery, despite paying daily fees to the Municipality of Beitbridge for years, amounting to R4 550 250 annually with Clothing market and Fruit and Vegetables Health market combined.
The complaints come after a devastating fire that destroyed stalls for 36 vendors inflicting a $60 000 loss.
Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola said he was unaware of the situation and advised the reporter to attend budget meetings.
“I don’t know what you are talking about, try to attend budget meetings, everything is said there.”
But at Tshitaudze Fruit and Vegetables Market, vendors pay R30 per day to the MoB, with collections starting as early as 5:00 AM and ending around 10:30 AM.
The daily collections are estimated to reach up to R12 000 per day, translating to approximately R4 380 000 per year from the Fruit and Vegetables Market alone.
According to the market’s secretary, Mervis Muteti, the number of traders has grown over the years from over 400 to more than 600 during peak harvesting seasons.
Muteti says despite consistent payments over the past five years, vendors have seen no improvements.
“The council is just collecting money, but there is no development at all. We are receiving no services. There are no proper rubbish bins, and the toilet they built is far from where we operate,” she said.
Vendors have also requested an extension of collection hours to midday, but their appeals have reportedly gone unanswered.
Collections are said to be conducted daily by a clerk and a security officer.
Meanwhile, similar frustrations are being echoed at Mashavire Clothing Flea Market, where clothing vendors say they have been paying operating fees for over a decade without any meaningful upgrades to their trading environment.
The market is estimated to generate around R450 per day, translating to approximately R164 250 per year in collections.
The Vice Chairperson Pesanai Chikava revealed that although the designated space accommodates 45 traders, fewer than 30 are currently operating.
“I started selling here in 2008. Before 2015, fees varied from R10 to R20, even $1 at some point. When we relocated to this area in 2016, they fixed it at R15, and it has remained the same. But there have been no developments,” Chikava said.
He added that vendors had to construct their own shelter, while the only available toilet is privately operated, located far from the market, and requires payment of R5 for short use and R10 for full access.
Vendors said that their daily contributions amounting to millions annually should translate into improved infrastructure and basic services.
Beitbridge West Member Of Parliament Thusani Ndou told Ziyah News Network rhat the plight of the vendors who lost their wares was of huge concern.
“What is council going to do about it because the safety of the market is a council matter. They collect fro, them and rhey should ensure safety which was not provided. There are no sanitary facilities so why are they taking the money? Where are they putting it? Something is not right,” he said.