Southern Province Minister Edify Hamukale has directed the Mazabuka Municipal Council to ensure all traders trading on the streets relocate to provided markets to ensure there is the social distance in the midst of the second wave of the coronavirus.
Dr Hamukale laments that the second wave of the coronavirus is on the rise and all traders must abide by the health guidelines and observe social distance.
Dr Hamukale has further observed that most market shelters are not being utilised and people have continued trading on the streets.
ZANIS reports that the Minister was speaking in Mazabuka this morning, during his tour of the Nakambala and Ndeke Community Markets to sensitise members of the public on the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Hamukale also donated 3,000 face masks to the traders to help mitigate the pandemic.
“Mazabuka is a highly populated town and there is a need for people to follow health guidelines of the COVID19,” he said.
He said he has observed that compliance levels in the district have gone down hence his visit to sensitise the people on the dangers of the second wave of the coronavirus.
He stressed that people are aware of the COVID-19 pandemic, but prefer moving with face masks in their pockets which is worrying.
“COVID-19 is not a fight for health authorities alone but it requires efforts from all citizens. It should start from our homes to ensure we play our part to stop the spread of the pandemic,” Dr Hamukale said.
And Mazabuka Town Clerk, Shiela Songolo, said the Municipality has put in various measures in markets to mitigate the spread of the second wave of the coronavirus.
“People became reluctant and we have moved in as the council to sensitise and provide the necessary things traders need to stop the spread of the coronavirus,” Ms Songolo said.
Ms Songolo said the campaign against the CVID-19 is still on and most traders have started complying.
It’s a timely relocation.. we need to be as much cautious about this pandemic as possible
People are difficult…so after a week they will come back to the streets
Street vending is the job left in Zambia.don’t victimize them.
Just make it clear to everyone that it’s illegal now for anyone vending in the street, they should obey the rule of laws vending in the streets should not be permitted in every corner of the city you should let them understand the ward market. it’s not only in muzabuka, but everywhere around Zambian cities. the city centres doesn’t look like the city centres by any standard any more they all look like market places. that’s why if you have notice a lot of ppl don’t envy going to the town centre anymore especially in Lusaka which is supposed to be the most attractive CDBC is because everywhere you go or walk around the city centre is full of street vendors and some of this vendors are very intimidating.