ILLEGAL vendors in Bulawayo's ward 14 on Saturday conducted a clean-up exercise at Hawkflight intersection in Cowdray Park to impress council not to raid them and confiscate their goods.
Ward 15 health club chairperson Leo Kashiri said informal vending was not a crime.
"We advised vendors to clean up this area (Hawkflight intersection) because they are the ones who mainly use it. Whatever food we need, we buy it here. This means that if there is no cleanliness here we are exposed to many diseases," Kashiri said.
"We then noticed as vendors that for us to prevent various illnesses and maintain the health of people, every place we work from and its surroundings has to be kept clean."
Ward 15 community sweepers' leader Siphilisiwe Ngwenya, echoed similar sentiments.
She said the exercise was done under Bulawayo mayor David Coltart's instruction.
Ward 15 councillor, Ashton Mhlanga, hailed the vendors for the clean-up exercise.
"It is council duty to clean and make sure the city is clean, but as residents we can also organise ourselves and complement council's efforts by cleaning our environment," he said.
"The area was extremely filthy, that is why as councillor for the area, I organised a clean up programme with vendors and they responded very well and I would like to urge them to organise such clean-ups every weekend to maintain a clean environment."
