The City of Bulawayo is in the process of implementing a strategy to decogest the city during and beyond the Covid 19 lockdown period.

The strategy is guided by the the Resilient Food Supply Chain Management System as suggested by cabinet though the Ministry of Lands; Agriculture; Water and Rural Resettlement. The city in response; has identified Food Distribution Hubs (FDH) or Food Markets (FM) and Vending Sites (VS) to comply with strict hygiene requirements of any identified site.

The sites are located closer to places of residence of our vendors in order to decentralise the fresh produce markets as informed by the spatial distribution of those vendors on council database.

The identified Food Markets with already existing infrastructure include; Tshabalala market; Emganwini Mupedzanhamo; Sekusile Nkulumane; New Magwegwe Terminus; Lobengula Market Konron; Magwegwe North Terminus; Old Pumula Market; Luveve Chigumira Terminus site; Entumbane Complex Market; Njube Market near Desert; Makokoba Market Efusini; Nkunzi Beer Garden; Burombo Beer Garden; and many other sites to be identified by the Housing & Community Services Department.

These measures will result in the closing off of the 5th Avenue market ( from Robert Mugabe Way to King Lobhengula Street) permanently to any form of fresh produce trading.

The street will now be re-opened as a public road after the relocation of traders to their respective sububan shopping areas. The Khothama second hand clothes flea market which used to operate on 8th Avenue/ R. Mugabe Way & J. Tongogara Streets has been closed and will not be open after the lockdown.

The same will be decentralised to suburban shopping centres as well. We urgue our residents and stakeholders to bear with us as we try to re-organise the city during 2020 and beyond as we work on delivering a smart and transformative city by year 2024.

Bulawayo Mayor: Solomon Madlala Mguni