BULAWAYO COUNCILLORS CALLS FOR CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL MEAT VENDORS

 …RESIDENTS WARNED AGAINST BUYING MEAT PRODUCTS FROM COOLER BOXES IN THE STREETS

 

City of Bulawayo Councillors have once again expressed concern over the influx of fresh meat vendors in the city saying these illegal vendors are operating at nearly every street corner, braaiing or cooking meat.

They called for effective enforcement measures, adding that butcheries with braai spots should adhere to the council’s braai policy.

The city’s pavements are also overrun by vendors frying and selling Russian sausages and chips, with most of them flooding 6th Avenue, Lobengula Street and the Bulawayo Centre area.

According to the latest council minutes Ward 2 Councillor Adrian Redani Moyo complained that the City was now flooded with fresh meat vendors.

“Councillor A.R Moyo noted that the City was now flooded with fresh meat vendors. There were also illegal vendors at every street corner braaing or cooking meat. Effective enforcement should be done. Butcheries with braai spots should adhere to Council’s braai policy.

“Councillor Suzan Sithole (Ward 11) sought clarity on the disposal of meat. Condemned meat from butcheries should be disposed of properly to avoid it being consumed. A lot of sausages were also sold on the street corners.

“Councillor Sandra Sibindi (Ward 20) concurred. Some registered butcheries also sold condemned meat and sausages. Once these butcheries were approached about poor products, a lot of excuses would be raised i.e electricity load shedding,” the minutes read in part.

Ward 7 Cllr Thandiwe Moyo complained about food vending taking place from dirty kitchens and vehicle boots adding that some of the food outlets operated from dilapidated infrastructure.

She called on Council to issue licences to food caravans applicants.

Ward Cllr Royini Sekete supported the licensing of food Caravans.

“Relevant by-laws should be enforced. Sale of meat in open spaces should be banned. Unlicensed butcheries should also be closed/penalised,” he said before he also enquired about the temporary licences and at what stage these licences were issued.

The Chairperson of Health Services, who is also Cllr of Ward 23, Ntombizodwa Khumalo, called on the council to enforce relevant by-laws in the city.

She said there were many cooked food vendors in the city, especially at the Entumbane Country bus terminus.

In her view, food caravans should be licensed and placed in strategic sites in the city.

“Selling raw meat from cooler boxes in the city should be banned. Residents should be warned against buying such meat products from cooler boxes in the streets. All unregistered butcheries should be closed,” she warned.

In response, the Assistant Director of Health Services (Environmental) explained that mobile food carts (caravans) were legal.

“The applicant was supposed to first lease a site from the council. These sites were applied for by the Director of Town Planning. Currently, many of these sites are being surrendered. The braai policy was now enforceable.

“Engagements would be done for an operation to be carried out. The operation would target all cooked food vendors. Condemned meat was confiscated, and some of it was donated to the SPCA, while some of the meat was given to animals at Chipangali. Meat unfit even for animal consumption was taken to the landfill site,” he said.

He encouraged councillors and residents to bring bad food samples to the department for investigations. *_-B-Metro_*