HIGH-RISK BEND, PICK BUSINESSES ALLOWED IN SITEKI?

mbongeni@times.co.sz

SITEKI – “We heard from the prime minister that we can operate our street clothing business.”

These were the words echoed by a bunch of clothing street vendors operating at the Siteki town on Friday.
Siteki town is located 65 kilometres east of Manzini and is perched on top of the Lubombo plateau. This semi-urban town carries a population of 6 381 residents, as reflected in the 2013 population statistics.

It is currently famous for housing the Lubombo Referral Hospital, which serves as an isolation centre for COVID-19 patients. Already, one patient has died after complications from the virus while eight patients are still admitted in this health facility.

However, driving across this developing town on Friday gave one an impression that there was no partial lockdown in the country.
In fact, those who travelled to Siteki on this day discovered that it was just business as usual. Every business, as observed by reporters, was operational except for clothing shops that government has instructed to operate only three times a week; Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Some cellphone shops were also closed in this town. People were spotted walking up and down the streets with some wearing masks while others had none of these.

spotted

The custom of maintaining social distancing seemed to have also not been drummed in the ears of those who were spotted around the town at most queues in shops and at the bus rank. 
In fact, clothing street vendors (Bend and Pick) were scattered in various places within the town selling their merchandise like any normal day. They did not have any sanitisers or any mask to protect themselves from buyers.
These vendors told the Times SUNDAY team that they had stock from Mozambique to sell it locally. They argued that the reason they were back on the streets was because they have heard from the radio that the premier had lifted the suspension of clothing vendors’ business.
This is despite the fact that on Wednesday, minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo announced that clothing street vendors should remain closed. The legislator listed the bend and pick as high-risk. This was after Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini had announced a relaxed 21-day extension of the partial lockdown.

identified

“We heard from the radio that the PM has allowed us to operate our businesses. We are back selling our stock which we purchased from Mozambique,” a vendor who identified herself as Make Sigudla said.
Gogo Mhlanga, another vendor, said they have consulted extensively about what government has said.
“We were told we can operate because our business has been allowed to operate during the partial lockdown,” she said.

Asked where they got the permission to operate, most of the vendor pointed out that they were approved by the local municipal council.
Meanwhile, Siteki Town Council Chief Executive Officer Sithembile Simelane, claimed clothing vendors from this town had been approved by the ministry of commerce to operate. She said they were given a one-day permission to operate by the ministry.

“The ministry approved that we can allow these vendors, especially those who get their stock from Durban permission to trade,” the CEO said.
She said the permission granted to vendors was identified as Phandzela Umntfwana.
Minister Khumalo, on the other hand, disputed that his ministry granted permission to the Siteki Town Council to allow clothing vendors to operate their business.
“I can only encourage the clothing vendors not to continue with operating these suspended businesses because that is against the law. Bend and pick business is regarded as high-risk,” the minister said.

public encouraged

He further encouraged members of the public to continue avoiding overcrowded places so to avoid contracting the virus. The minister advised businesspeople to comply with the regulations on COVID-19.

Responding to this, CEO Simelane yesterday acknowledged that allowing the clothing vendors to operate was just an oversight. She said they spoke to an officer from the ministry of commerce, who might have used his/her own discretion to allow the vendors to operate.

“Going forward, we will comply and not allow these vendors to operate during the remaining days of the partial lockdown,” she said.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus regulations, 2020 state that persons who do not comply or adhere to the directive and guidelines issued by the prescribing minister on the operation of essential industries shall be liable to a fine not exceeding E500 000.

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