THE Kitwe City Council has mounted surveillance cameras to monitor members of the public buying goods from undesignated places.

Kitwe Town Clerk Mbulo Seke said the council would from next week start arresting and prosecuting those buying from the streets.

“Kitwe City Council would like to caution members of the public who have developed the habit of buying goods and merchandise from the undesignated places or streets that the local authority has mounted surveillance on the streets and will, by Monday next week, start to arrest and prosecute people buying goods or merchandise from the undesignated places or streets in contravention of regulation 46 of the Local Government (Street Vending and Nuisances) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 2018 as read together with the Local Government (Street Vending and Nuisances) (No. 2) Regulations,1992 and the Markets and Bus Stations Act No. 7 of 2007 which prohibits buying goods or merchandise from the undesignated places or streets,” he said.

Seke explained that the move was necessitated by unhealthy customer behaviour where customers preferred to buy from the streets instead of designated trading places, thereby contributing to the increase in street vending.

“This comes in the wake of observed unhealthy customer behaviour preferring to buy from the streets instead of designated trading places which is encouraging traders to abandon their market stands in preference for the street. Thereby contributing to the increase in street vending, street congestion and street littering as well as loss of revenue in the markets. Under the law, any person found buying goods or merchandise from the undesignated places or streets shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine of 666.67 penalty units or K200.00,” he said.

Seke said the council was now requesting persons who wanted to sell in the market to register with the local authority.

“The local authority is inviting all persons who desire to sell in the market to register with the Market Manager (Room 8, Civic Centre) or the Market Masters (at Chisokone Green Shelter) for allocation of market spaces,” he said.

Seke added that priority would be given to the street vendors operating on Independence Avenue, Matuka Avenue, Obote, Kabengele, Enos Chomba, Langashe and Chisokone One Way.

“Those who will be found selling on the streets even when there are spaces available in the market after the deadline will be doing so at their own peril as they will be taken to the fast track court,” said Seke.