Suburban
The City of Harare has directed the Old Stables Market located at Borrowdale Racecourse to apply for change of land use for the premises it is operating from, a move organisers, patrons and vendors of the market described as a “vindictive onslaught” against the market.
Suburban Reporter
A number of traders operate from the Old Stables Market where they sell food ranging from fruits, vegetables and confectionery products.
The Old Stables Market which is located at Borrowdale Racecourse has been coordinating a petition which it expects to hand over to the City of Harare to allow it to operate while it makes efforts to comply with the municipality’s requirements, which it says might take between 12 to 18 months.
Some of the stallholders who operate from the market and their customers have signed the petition to give it more weight.
In the petition, the Old Stables Market also wants the City of Harare to outline all the council health requirements it must meet to be fully compliant with the city’s by-laws.
“We are asking the authorities to provide a written list of City of (Harare) health requirements that the Old Stables Market is still to meet in order to be fully compliant. We further ask that the Old Stables Market be allowed to operate while it works to comply with City of Harare requirements,” the market said in a statement.
The market said it has complied with all the requirements the City of Harare has been asking them to observe but each time the municipality comes up with more stringent regulations to meet.
“We have complied with every requirement demanded by the authorities. However, each licence/permit/letter of authorisation/exemption letter we acquire, we are the met with a more stringent and difficult requirement,” the market said in a statement titled “Save the Old Stables Market”.
The market appealed to stallholders and customers to sign the petition which it hopes to hand over to council on Friday March 12, 2021.
“The vindictive onslaught against The Old Stables Market continues.
“The latest requirement from the City Council is that we have to change the land-use category for the Borrowdale Racecourse area where we hold our market.
“This can take 12-18 months. We have created a petition where you, our stallholders and customers can add your voice to our cause.
“This is a hardcopy petition that we can physically hand over this Friday, so time is of the essence.
“We have distributed copies of this petition around Harare, and are asking you to get to one of these places and add your name and details to the list of well-wishers who would like the Old Stables Market to continue,” read the statement.
It said the Old Stables Market is providing a livelihood to a large number of vendors, with many more downstream jobs having been created and now reliant on the vendors’ ability to trade their wares.
“For over a year the market has proved highly popular as a healthy, open-air shopping environment, with strict adherence to the public health order (Covid-19) regulations. Numerous other markets operate in Harare, and most have less documentation than we do.
“We ask simply that we be treated fairly (and on the same basis) as those other markets.”
Petition forms have been placed at Emerald Nursery, Pomona Farmers’ Market, Big Sky at Pomona shops, Valis Bakery at Kensington shops, Alo Alo Restaurant and Bread Co at Arundel shops, Café Du Paris along Churchill Avenue, Workwear in Borrowdale, Dandaro, Pizzazz in Greystone Park, Bindi in Newlands, Supreme Butchery at Chisipite shops, Moldon along Churchill Road in Gunhill, Cottage Bites in Highlands and at Sam Levy Village as well as Candle Shop along ED Mnangagwa Road (formerly Enterprise Road).
“Therefore, we the undersigned residents of Harare and environs, appeal to your good selves to:
Provide a written list of City of Health requirements that the Old Stables Market is still to meet in order to be fully compliant.
Allow the Old Stables Market to operate while it works to comply with City of Harare requirements — the next trading day to be Saturday, March 13, 2021.
In the meantime, to treat the Old Stables Market on equal terms with other markets with similar activities that are freely operating in Harare.
We look forward to receiving your written approval to operate and list of outstanding requirements, by Friday, March 12, 2021. We thank you in anticipation of a favourable response. The organisers, vendors and patrons of Old Stables Market,” reads the petition.
The petition will be sent to Acting Harare Mayor Stewart Mutizwa, director of health services Dr Prosper Chonzi, Local Government Minister July Moyo, Harare North Member of Parliament Mr Allan Markham, Harare East MP Mr Tendai Biti, Mt Pleasant MP Mr Samuel Banda, Ward 18 (Borrowdale) Councillor Ian Makone and Ward 17 (Mt Pleasant) Councillor Jacob Mafume, who is currently on suspension.
Recently, the market was closed following a police investigation to look into reports that some businesspeople in the Borrowdale area had turned stables at the racecourse into fruit and flea markets over weekends in violation of Covid-19 national lockdown regulations.
However, food markets, small to medium enterprises and the informal sector in general have since been allowed to open following a relaxation of the Covid-19 regulations.
They are required to observe WHO and national Covid-19 protocols when operating.
