The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, Evelyn Ndlovu has said that the local authorities needed some education in the importance of the growing entrepreneurial group which has now become a feature on the Zimbabwe’s urban streets. Ndlovu said this during the People’s Own Savings Bank’s (POSB) forum on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The Permanent Secretary said that SMEs were now the main source of revenue for local authorities since the large companies closed down.
“We have to educate our local authorities the importance of SMEs… ikozvino hatina ma company anovapa mari( We no longer have large companies that used to be their sources of revenue),” said Ndlovu.
SMEs, who could be over 2,8 million according to Ndlovu have been clashing with the local authorities over the issue of business sites.
Ndlovu’s boss who heads the SMEs ministry, Sithembiso Nyoni this year attacked Harare’s local authorities for evicting vendors from the streets calling the action inhuman.
“Chasing the vendors away from the streets on its own is not the right way. It never worked and it will not work because people will come back again,” Min Nyoni said in the Newsday.
The Minister of Tourism and hospitality, against the street business with concerns about the outlook to tourists, suggested that vendors occupy unused buildings.
POSB, whose mandate is to mobilise savings and promote a savings culture in Zimbabwe is holding SMEs forums in Harare and Bulawayo. The Harare forum was attended by civil societies and representatives from different SMEs groups.
