By Paul Nyathi|At the insistence of Chief Justice Luke Malaba, Police and City of Bulawayo authorities have decided to close off the busy intersections at Samuel Parirenyatwa road with Herbert Chitepo and on Fort Streets everyday between 7:30am and 5:30pm.

The move to close the roads come after Chief Justice Malaba complained that there was too much noise and illegal trading from outside affecting the operations inside the courts.

Opening three new courtrooms at the Bulawayo High Court last week, the country’s top judge, demanded for the removal of Osiphatheleni, taxis and other people involved in activities around Tredgold Building which houses the Bulawayo Magistrates Courts.

The illegal money changers always play cat and mouse games with the police and have refused to vacate the environs of the courts, popularly known as the World Bank, due to the availability of cash in different currencies.

Malaba said it is “unhealthy” for such things to be carried out on the doorstep of the courts.

He at the time indicated that the Judiciary Services Commission (JSC) had already engaged the Bulawayo City Council in a quest to restore sanity on the court’s surroundings which engagement may have led to the shutting down of the street.

In his speech Malaba said council should find a permanent solution to the problem of osiphatheleni.

“May I also register the JSC’s appreciation of the support the Bulawayo City Council has given us. They have been cooperating right through with the JSC in seeking to find a permanent solution to the congestion outside Tredgold Building.

“We are concerned about it and we have expressed our concern and I’m certain that the Bulawayo City Council fathers will take further steps to correct the situation.

“It’s not a healthy situation to have illegal activities taking place just outside the fountain of justice” he said.