Mon, 25 Sep 2017 10:04:47 +0000
By Rogers Kalero
THE KITWE City Council closed 40 offices in the central business district for operating without relevant documents like trading licences, fire certificates and health permits.
But, some tenants at Afcom House have condemned the manner in which the local authority carried out the operation, saying it was confrontational and warned the council to clean up the mess in the city centre before using force on tenants who were ready to dialogue on a number of issues.
Poster Jumbe, who is also Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) Copperbelt Provincial Coordinator said the tenants at Afcom House were not against the operation but were not happy with the confrontational stance taken by some council police officers.
Mr Jumbe also said it was unfair for the council to be confrontational with the tenants at Afcom House when it has been perpetrating illegal things in order to make money for themselves. He said the council has allowed illegal stations for pirate taxis where they were collecting money which they cannot account for since it was being illegally collected.
Last Wednesday, officers from KCC conducted an operation in the central business district to check if shop owners complied with the stipulated guidelines on trading practices and closed 30 shops that were found flouting the laws.
A similar exercise was conducted on Friday and 40 more shops were closed for conducting business without the relevant business certificates.
KCC assistant Public Relations Manager Beauty Undi said the business entities that were closed did not have trading licences, fire certificates and health permits.
“Under the Public Health Act of 295 of the Laws of Zambia, the Local Government Act of 281 of the Laws of Zambia and the Trading Licences Act, it was a requirement for all business owners to have a trading licence, fire certificate and a health permit.
“Business houses are also supposed to display their trading licences at their business premises and that failure to do so attract a penalty fee of K450. It is shocking to learn that most of the businesses in the central business district are operating without the necessarily business documents. Others do not even have trading licences,” Ms Undi said.
Ms Undi said the local authority will continue to conduct operations in the central business district to ensure business houses adhere to the stipulated laws. She said the council is losing out in terms of revenue because a number of business houses are operating without trading licences.
Ms Undi said a similar exercise will also be conducted in markets to ensure traders comply with the various Acts that regulate trade.
