MATABELELAND ENGINEERING APPLAUDS Bulawayo VENDOR SHELTERS PROJECT

Written by Ntando Sibanda - ZDDT Reporter Tuesday, 06 December 2011 14:53

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe- Vendors have for a long time been one of the most crucial players in ensuring food security on a family unit basis. However, these central aspects of every community have been plagued by the unavailability of proper infrastructure to lawfully and profitably conduct their daily business.

It is in this light that ZDDT, in conjunction with the Local Authority (LA), decided to donate and install vending shelters to eight wards within the city under its Local Authority Capacity Building Programme.

The intention behind this initiative is to enable such traders to be regulated and to abide by the rule of law through appropriate land use and meeting health requirements. At the same time it will ensure that business is conducted under safe and dignified conditions. This initiative assists Council in developing a Small Business policy to improve the status and performance of this type of enterprise.

ZDDT field correspondent, Ntando Sibanda (NS), visited one of the sites where the vending shelters were being erected and caught up with the sales representative of Matabeleland Engineering, Mr Shaibu Adams (SA). MR Adams highly applauded the project and said it will go a very long way in improving the lives of the people in the city.

Matabeleland Engineering is the company that was contracted by the Trust to manufacture and install the vending shelters.

Below can be found the interview that ensued in that meeting:

NS What is your view of ZDDT, through the Council, facilitating for the installation of these vending shelters to members of the communities?

SA This is a very good initiative by ZDDT. It is going to be very helpful. At least the vendors will now have somewhere to hide when it rains and somewhere to hide from the sun. The vendors were very happy when they saw us putting up these structures.

NS What is your view regarding the progress in the installation of the vending shelters?

SA The project is going on well, we had a few hiccups here and there, but we are back on track and the project is moving on well. So far we have done 7 structures back at our workshops and we have mounted one shelter in Emganwini and one in Nketa 9. We are looking forward to mounting the third one in Nketa 7 before the end of this week.

NS Do you think this project will have a positive impact on the communities?

SA It has a very huge impact; we are even appealing to ZDDT to put up more of these structures because they are helpful. The Communities are happy, even the  councillors were very happy and so long as you make the people of Bulawayo happy, then all is well.

NS How have been your working relations with ZDDT been?

SA So far so good and we are expecting to do more work with the Trust. If there are more projects to be done, we would love to be part of them because it is to a pleasure working with ZDDT.

The Project demonstrates the shared core values of the Bulawayo City Council and ZDDT which are to improve the living standards of community members in the city and to encourage local ownership, and wealth creation.