Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. INFORMAL traders and merchants operating from the Glen View 8 complex yesterday relived the nightmare they endured after a fire gutted the place on Sunday morning.
The complex has had multiple fire incidents that saw traders lose wares worth millions of United States dollars on an annual basis.
Ministers Daniel Garwe (Local Government and Public Works) and Monica Mutsvangwa (Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development), were joined by Harare mayor Jacob Mafume at the complex yesterday.
Glen View Area 8 Home Industry manager Tawanda Utete pleaded with government officials to assist the affected entrepreneurs.
“The affected people were breadwinners, but they are left with nothing. When I was walking around in the morning, around five individuals said they had not eaten anything since the fire incident.
“All our hopes are with you, our government; they came early in the morning to find a way out of the predicament. What bothers me the most is that everything was burnt to ashes and all the machines were destroyed. May we please have your assistance?
“At least if you provide machinery, it will help in road rehabilitation for easy access across the industry. In the interim, we are pleading with you, ministers, to provide a place where these people will work from.”
Garwe revealed that government will soon work on a new complex, with construction expected to start in September.
“We will compile and organise construction papers this August, so that when we reach September, those papers will be in order and completed.
“The papers will come to the local government, and we will sit with the councillor to sort them, while construction will be taking place.
“We want construction at this site to commence early. We want you to work in a safe industrial area without fearing climate change or fire.”
Garwe said construction of the Glen View Area 8 Home Industry would be done simultaneously with phase two construction of the Mbare Market, with the work in Glen View expected to be completed in December.
“Last year in October, the biggest market in Harare was burnt, we attended the scene and forwarded documents to the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa). At that time, we highlighted to him about Glen View Area 8 Home Industry, where fire outbreaks occur each year. The President said we would also consider its construction.
“We are already consulting engineers and their assistants to commence the construction, as they will also be preparing the construction of Mbare Market phase 2,” he said.
He said engineers would visit the complex next week, while those affected would be placed at other sites in the area so that they continue working.
“Some of the areas include the Old Mutual structures and open areas in Glen View 1. The construction will be completed very fast, so by December, we will be done and waiting for official opening by the President,” Garwe said.
Mafume said council would work with government in the construction of the new structure with quite a number of improvements, such as floors, electricity and toilets.
“We are deeply hurt by what happened here and our wish is to end the sorrows of the people who work here. So we are going to unite. This is being done to work hard on the new structure to be constructed similar to the Mbare Musika,” he said.
“At this place, a nice building will be constructed. We are going to create a good market. The one we created in Mbare is going to be smaller than what you will see here, with the help of the government. We will also consider a complex structure with floors, electricity, as well as toilets.”
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