Harare City Council is considering relocating traders operating at the Magaba home industry complex following yet another devastating fire at the facility.
Authorities cited overcrowding and widespread illegal electricity connections as major safety concerns.
The latest inferno, which broke out yesterday, has renewed calls for urgent intervention at one of the capital’s busiest informal trading hubs, where hundreds of small-scale manufacturers and traders conduct business.
The fire comes barely months after another major blaze in February destroyed property and left hundreds of traders counting heavy losses.
Harare City Council spokesperson Stanley Gama said while the relocation of traders had not yet been formally approved by council, the issue was likely to be brought before councillors for deliberation as authorities seek a lasting solution.
He said council was exploring measures similar to those implemented at the Glen View Area 8 Complex, where traders were relocated to create a safer and better-organised trading environment.
“We are working on the best way forward. We are probably going to act the same way we did at Glen View Area 8 Complex, where we relocated traders to another place,” he said.
Gama said investigations into the cause of yesterday’s fire were still underway.
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He noted that the incident had once again exposed longstanding challenges at the complex, particularly congestion and unsafe electricity installations.
The complex is one of Harare’s largest centres for informal manufacturing and metal fabrication, accommodating hundreds of traders involved in furniture production, welding, motor repairs and other small-scale enterprises.
