CITY PUSHCART MENACE SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL

Tendai Chara

PUSHCARTS have apparently become an unlikely source of distress, particularly for Harare residents.

For those who frequent the capital’s central business district (CBD), pushcart operators are exposing lives to grave danger.

They obstruct traffic flow and block sidewalks, thus contributing to congestion and accidents.

Notorious for their reckless manoeuvring and crassness, pushcart operators make it very hard for both pedestrians and motorists to navigate the streets.

Most often than not, they force foot travellers into the path of vehicular traffic, which comes with its own risks and dangers.

Motorists, especially along Robert Mugabe Road, have now become accustomed to having one of the lanes blocked by pushcart vendors.

This is particularly the case in the evenings.

Beyond causing congestion and being involved in illegal vending, vendors who use these troublesome pushcarts are often unlicensed and reportedly relieve themselves in alleys.

Their customers also contribute to the city’s growing litter problem as they invariably throw waste on the streets.

Reckless behaviour

Malvern Chingoka, who works in the city centre, has no kind words for pushcart operators.

“These guys are not only inconsiderate and reckless; they are also disrespectful and violent. I once saw a pedestrian being hit by a car after being forced out of the pavement by a pushcart operator,” Chingoka said.

The majority of pushcart operators, especially those hired to ferry goods from tuck shops to bus stations, are often under the influence of drugs and alcohol, he claimed.

This reckless behaviour frequently leads to collisions with vehicles and pedestrians, resulting in injuries and damage.

In Harare, pushcart operators are mostly concentrated in downtown Harare, at Mbare Musika and busy bus termini such as Copacabana, Market Square and the Simon Vengai Muzenda Street rank.

They are also stationed at giant supermarkets and shopping malls, where they are hired to ferry goods to commuter omnibus ranks.

Always in a hurry, they often dangerously weave through traffic, at times knocking pedestrians in the process.

They also seem to have a knack for ignoring basic road rules.

Adding to the danger, most pushcarts are old, poorly maintained and often carry excessive loads, making them very difficult to control.

“The majority of the carts are not well-maintained. Some of them are not designed to handle certain loads, resulting in them tipping over and causing injuries,” Chingoka added.

Psychological/financial impacts

Beyond physical harm, the cart operators’ behaviour arguably has adverse psychological effects on other road users.

By causing traffic congestion, clinical psychologist Nomore Marecha noted, pushcart operators contribute to mental health challenges.

“Being stuck in traffic can lead to frustration, road rage, stress, anger and anxiety. The reckless behaviour by pushcart operators has far-reaching effects,” said Marecha.

Compounding the problem, some people injured by pushcart operators are not compensated.

Enforcement challenges

Harare Residents Trust director Precious Shumba acknowledged the important role handcarts play in job creation.

“Pushcarts are being used by poor residents who are trying to make ends meet through the work of their hands. Some are sending their children to school, putting food on the table for their families and paying rent,” Shumba said.

“At this stage, it is difficult to restrict those people, given that the pushcarts are their means of sustaining their lives.”

The issue of pushcarts, he added, is part of a broader challenge of managing vendors and ensuring a clean and orderly city.

Shumba urged the city to put more emphasis on orderly business conduct by those in the informal sector.

“The council can charge a nominal monthly fee so that they operate within the confines of the council by-laws,” he suggested.

Calls have also been made for the local authority to introduce designated lanes for pushcarts, separate from those used by pedestrians and vehicles.

“The council must simply introduce a fee structure and formalise our operations. This pushcart is my only source of income, and I do not see myself abandoning it in the absence of an alternative source of income,” declared Zakariya Moyo, who operates in downtown Harare.

“Most operators reside in high-density suburbs like Mbare and Epworth, and are drawn to the city centre by the high volumes of customers.

“Vending is brisk in the city centre. I have a family to feed and I am forced to risk my life on the busy streets,” said another operator who opted not to be named.

In Harare, pushcarts are mostly manufactured at Siyaso and Gazaland in Mbare and Highfield, respectively, costing as much as US$100.

The City of Harare regularly conducts “blitzes” to remove illegal handcart operators, arresting culprits and confiscating their wares.

However, sources say council officials rarely confiscate the pushcarts themselves.

Reports of bribery involving municipal police are also common, with officers reportedly demanding between US$2 and US$10 to release arrested vendors/operators.

According to operators, these bribes explain why they have been largely left to operate and disturb traffic flow despite patrols by responsible authorities.

However, Harare City Council spokesperson Stanley Gama said the pushcart chaos will soon be a thing of the past.

“We are going to have an operation whose goal is to restore sanity in the city. Pushcart operators are some of the major targets during the crackdown,” Gama said.

He added that handcart operators are unwilling to work from designated areas, despite the council having established such zones, where vendors can operate by paying a monthly fee.

“The major problem is that the pushcart operators do not want to be stationed at one place,” Gama explained.

He urged the public to report any instances of municipal police officers receiving bribes.

Pushcarts are licensed under the Harare Cycle Licensing By-laws, established in 2016. These by-laws, enacted as Statutory Instrument 108 of 2016, require cyclists to display a valid licence disc or token on their bicycles. The by-laws also address the display of the licence and procedures for obtaining a duplicate if the original is lost.

For pushcarts, authorised persons are supposed to be issued with a “licence token”, a metal badge on which the year of issue, the licence number and the words “City of Harare” are inscribed.

The cart owner is required to attach the licence token on the left side of the hub on the left wheel.

Those who contravene this by-law “shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding Level Five or one-year imprisonment or both such fine and imprisonment”.

Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckmore Chakanza revealed that arrested pushcart operators face vending charges, with fines ranging between US$10 and US$30, depending on the type of wares in question.

“Confiscated wares and the pushcarts are then destroyed,” Inspector Chakanza said.

He urged the public to report corrupt police officers.

In March this year, the Bulawayo City Council banned pushcarts from the CBD to address concerns over congestion, littering and violations of public health and safety regulations.

The ban was in line with a Government directive aimed at restoring order and eliminating illegal trading activities in city centres.

The order came as a result of widespread complaints about rampant illegal vending and pushcart operations, which have been cited as disrupting formal businesses and contributing to criminal activity.

Violation of this directive by pushcart operators attracts a Level 1 fine, along with impounding costs, in accordance with Statutory Instrument 220 of 2023.

It is believed that the pushcart menace is mostly rampant in Harare and Bulawayo.

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