The statement regarding the City of Harare’s upcoming “zero vending” initiative is concerning for the community of informal economy workers represented by the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET). The proposed operation to eradicate illegal vending demonstrates a lack of understanding and support for the livelihoods of countless individuals who rely on these informal activities for their daily sustenance.
Informal economy workers play a crucial role in the urban economy, often filling gaps left by the formal sector and providing valuable services and goods to their communities. Rather than taking punitive measures that could displace vendors and hinder their ability to provide for their families, it is essential for the authorities to engage with these workers, understand their challenges, and consider supportive strategies that can help integrate them into the formal economy.
VISET advocates for policies that recognize the contributions of informal workers and seek to create an enabling environment for their operations, rather than implementing initiatives that threaten their existence. Dismissing the concerns of informal vendors undermines their rights and the significant role they play in the local economy. It is vital for the government to revisit this approach and consider collaborative solutions that uplift, rather than dismantle, the livelihoods of informal economy workers.
We believe this move flies in the face of positive initiatives such as the Harare Small to Medium Enterprise Policy that has many progressive provisions such as retention funds for the construction of new markets, and establishment of a revolving fund.
It is our considered belief that such incentives can go a long way towards formalising the sector, injecting revenues generated into the mainstream economy.
Government initiatives such as the recently introduced mandatory taxation of the informal sector can generate significant buy in from informal economy players, once their trade is decriminalised and provisions made to ensure they are not left behind!
