Ntshe house vendors embark on cleaning campaign

Street vendors operating around Ntshe House downed tools today for a one-hour cleaning campaign stretching from Ntshe house building, down the Kenneth Nkhwa Interchange, commonly known as “Spaghetti”, to the Bank of Botswana.

Secretary of the Ntshe House Street Vendor Association, Ms Fela Veronicah-Maela, said the initiative started last year with support from the City of Francistown Council and the Office of the Francistown District Commissioner. She noted that participation was high at the beginning but has since declined.

Ms Veronicah-Maela said the campaign was also in response to President Advocate Duma Boko’s call for national cleanliness, although the association had mooted the idea prior to the presidential directive.

She warned that members who fail to participate will face disciplinary action, adding that food vendors who cite busy schedules during cleaning will no longer be excused.

A register will be kept during the next campaign, and vendors found selling will receive warning letters. Ms Veronicah-Maela further warned that persistent defaulters risk eviction, following a recommendation to council by the association.

The association chairperson, Mr Lesole Mazongo, said this was the sixth cleanup held this year and the exercise has now become a norm.

He added that the association plans to expand the campaign to include donation drives, so that the public can see that Ntshe House street vendors are active and are setting a benchmark.

Update and photos: Thamani Shabani