Government has cautioned marketeers operating in Soweto market to refrain from paying market levy to political cadres.
Local Government, Housing Early Education and Environmental Protection Deputy minister Steven Masumba made the plea when he addressed marketeers at new Soweto market.
Mr Masumba who was accompanied by Lusaka province deputy permanent secretary Kazeya Zulu warned that government will not hesitate to prosecute any cadre found collecting market levy regardless of their political affiliation.
He said it’s wrong for any cadre to harass marketeers with the aim of collecting market levy from the traders.
Instead, Mr Masumba urged the marketeers to report such cadres to the police so that the law can take its course.
He insisted that only the local government is mandated and allowed by law to collect market levy and not cadres.
Meanwhile the Deputy Minister has challenged marketeers at new Soweto market to keep their trading area clean.
He said the marketeers should not wait for the council but rather take up the challenge to clean their business premises.
And marketeers who took turns to complain to the Deputy Minister said they are often harassed by cadres when they come to collects market levys.
They disclosed that the cadres charge them as much as fifty thousand kwacha per stand.
The marketers saluted government for coming to their aid as most of the time they are victimised by the cadres to pay market levy.
QFM
So what do you MMD useless supporters have to say about how markets are run now? You didnt see anything wrong when William Banda and crew harassed marketeers and STOLE money from them, so what do you have to say now that the working government is showing signs of no favoritism?
You lose support of a few carders and gain the favour of many marketeers. That is the way to end this thievish behavious. Not bad at all, PF.
Who care’s if Cadres collect money from marketeers ? Infact 50pin per stand is too little money to complain to a minister of an impoverished nation like Zambia
@1 & 3, your comments are foolish.
Good structure but please in planning make sure you include trees around and grass! Zambia , Lusaka needs them!
and parking lots!, good observation!
Empty words that cant be implemented!A poor widow selling vegetables is asked to pay 50pin and if she reports to police she will be asked to hire a cab bcoz there is no police vehicle to help in arresting the culprits,which cant even be allowed by pf bosses.
I this not the same market that Kafupi or the MMD built? Or is it a brand new market built under PF?