Dzimiri
also
suggested
that
the
government
might
be
acting
to
please
businesses
losing
profits
to
vendors,
and
that
political
party
big-wigs
may
have
supported
vending
as
a
way
to
gain
votes.
The
statement
reads:
SUBJECT:
ZCTU’S
RESPONSE
TO
REMOVAL
OF
STREET
VENDORS
The
Zimbabwe
Congress
of
Trade
Unions
(ZCTU)
is
worried
by
Government’s
directive
to
all
local
authorities
to
clear
illegal
vendors
in
48
hours,
claiming
that
vendors
have
created
a
haven
for
criminal
activities
and
operate
in
unsanitary
conditions,
posing
health
risks
to
citizens.
The
heavy-handed
directive
by
Local
Government
Minister
Daniel
Garwe,
is
completely
insensitive
and
reactionary
to
those
who
survive
of
street
vending
considering
that
the
economy
has
thrown
thousands
of
people
into
the
streets
because
of
its
failure
to
create
employment.
Our
streets
are
littered
with
thousands
of
graduates
from
tertiary
institutions,
thanks
to
ill-conceived
economic
policies
that
have
failed
to
revive
the
economy.
We
reiterate
that
people
who
are
into
street
vending
are
not
into
it
for
their
liking,
but
are
being
forced
due
to
the
unemployment
levels
largely
blamed
on
bad
economic
policies.
Instead
of
harassing
vendors,
the
Government
must
first
of
all
restore
economic
growth
and
create
the
promised
millions
of
jobs
and
by
doing
so,
all
vendors
will
vanish
overnight.
The
Government
and
Councils
must
accept
the
fact
that
the
informal
economy
has
become
the
biggest
employer
in
the
country
and
therefore
it
needs
to
be
carefully
treated.
Currently,
the
country
is
working
on
a
formalization
strategy
in
line
with
the
International
Labour
Organisation
(ILO)
Recommendation
204
(R204)
that
provides
guidance
to
member
states
on
facilitating
the
transition
of
workers
and
economic
units
from
the
informal
to
the
formal
economy,
while
respecting
workers’
rights
and
promoting
decent
work
for
all.
The
recommendation
specifically
request
member
states
to:
(a)
take
immediate
measures
to
address
the
unsafe
and
unhealthy
working
conditions
that
often
characterize
work
in
the
informal
economy;
and
(b)
promote
and
extend
occupational
safety
and
health
protection
to
employers
and
workers
in
the
informal
economy.
The
ILO)
acknowledged
the
importance
of
the
informal
economy
and
this
year’s
113th
Session
of
the
International
Labour
Conference
will
have
a
discussion
on
innovative
approaches
to
tackling
informality
and
promoting
transitions
towards
formality
in
order
to
promote
decent
work.
It
is
preposterous
that
the
government
issues
an
ultimatum
and
directive
without
giving
an
alternative
or
permanent
solution
to
the
widespread
issue
of
vending.
The
council
must
provide
alternative
places
of
trading
where
there
is
decency
instead
of
reactionary
policies
that
are
inconsiderate
of
the
highly
informal
set
up
Zimbabwe
finds
itself
in.
What
is
more
hypocritical
for
the
government
is
that
it
has
been
encouraging
people
to
go
on
‘self-help’
projects
and
declaring
them
an
eyesore
now
is
extremely
insensitive.
In
fact
most
of
the
vendors
are
mere
workers
of
chefs
and
barons
who
give
them
wares
to
sell
in
the
streets.
There
is
also
a
possibility
that
the
government
is
acting
to
appease
businesses
that
have
been
losing
profits
to
vendors.
It
is
also
important
to
note
that
some
of
these
people
were
also
encouraged
to
go
into
vending
by
political
party
big-wigs
as
a
vote-buying
gimmick.
The
ZCTU
is
worried
that
we
are
heading
for
another
“Operation
Murambatsvina”
that
will
result
in
the
displacement
of
people
around
cities.
The
people
in
this
sector
also
pay
rent
and
rates
and
if
their
source
of
income
is
stopped,
they
would
not
be
able
to
do
so.
There
is
a
high
possibility
of
increased
criminality
as
some
will
turn
to
illegal
activities
to
survive.
The
solution
is
to
sit
down
with
them
and
chart
the
way
forward.