Bulawayo City Council demolishes illegal structures at Espamprikeni

Bulawayo City Council has started demolishing illegal structures at the Mpopoma Outspan Furniture Manufacturing complex, popularly known as Espamprikeni, disrupting the operations of hundreds of informal traders.

The demolitions began on Monday as part of the local authority’s enforcement of municipal by-laws and a nationwide clean-up campaign aimed at restoring order in business premises and public spaces.

Bulawayo City Council Corporate Communications Manager Nesisa Mpofu said the exercise was intended to ensure that businesses operated within the law.

“Council is continuing to enforce its by-laws as part of efforts to restore order in the city,” she said.

“The exercise is also in line with the nationwide clean-up campaign, which seeks to ensure that activities taking place in different areas are conducted in an orderly manner and in compliance with the law.”

Mpofu said the council remained committed to addressing illegal developments and ensuring that properties and business premises complied with established regulations.

However, the demolitions have been strongly opposed by the Mpopoma Development Trust, which argues that the dispute is already before the courts.

Trust director Jackson Sibanda accused the council of proceeding with the operation despite the pending legal process.

“We are concerned that council is proceeding with demolitions when the matter is already before the courts,” he said.

“We believe that this amounts to contempt of court because the dispute has not yet been resolved through the judicial process.”

Sibanda said the demolitions had affected more than 300 people, including furniture manufacturers, traders, employees and other small-scale business operators who depend on the complex for their livelihoods.

He warned that many families could lose their source of income at a time when small businesses were already facing economic difficulties.

“This place is not just a collection of structures; it is a livelihood centre for hundreds of people,” he said.

“More than 300 people are affected, and behind every business is a family that depends on the income generated there.”

Sibanda said Espamprikeni had become an important economic hub for entrepreneurs who could not afford space in formal industrial areas. He added that the demolitions could undermine efforts by small businesses to create jobs and contribute to the local economy.

He called for dialogue between council and affected traders, saying a lasting solution should be found without destroying livelihoods.

Espamprikeni was established in the early 1990s and has grown into one of Bulawayo’s largest furniture manufacturing centres. The complex houses more than 200 carpenters and supports over 400 jobs.

In recent years, the number of traders operating at the site has increased to nearly 300, raising concerns about congestion, sanitation and fire safety.

The land on which the complex stands belongs to Bulawayo City Council and is officially designated as a recreational park for the Mpopoma community.

Despite this, the area has gradually expanded into a busy trading and manufacturing hub, with the growth doing little to ease congestion at the site.