Zanu PF activists fleece Gweru vendors 

Source: Zanu PF activists fleece Gweru vendors – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY STEPHEN CHADENGA

RULING Zanu PF party activists in the Midlands province have reportedly taken over vending stalls in Mtapa, Gweru, and are collecting US$2 per week from each of the 600 vendors operating at the site, Southern Eye has established.

The party activists grabbed the vending stalls in May this year.

The affected vendors described the US$2 weekly fees as daylight robbery.

“This is a ploy just to milk us of our money as we are already financially overburdened,” one of the affected vendors said.

Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said his office had not yet received such reports.

“No, the party has not been collecting fees from vendors,” Mupereri said.

But Gweru City Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed having heard of reports that there were some people that were demanding fees from vendors at Mtapa market.

“In cases like these, we encourage those affected vendors to go and report the issue to the police,” she said.

Affected vendors told Southern Eye that they were afraid to report the matter to police for fear of victimisation.