MUTARE City council has given businesses here an ultimatum to urgently renew shop licences saying it will start to raid on offenders with effect from Tuesday next week.
In an update Tuesday, the local authority revealed that the window period for renewal of licences lapsed on Monday.
“Notice is hereby given to all business operators in Mutare to urgently prioritize the renewal of their licenses. The window period provided by Shop Licences Act has since lapsed on 31 January 2020,” Mutare City Council said in an update.
“City of Mutare started the issuance of licence reminders in October 2021 and by now we anticipate that all businesses operating in the city are in compliance to the Act. City of Mutare will carry out a licence blitz beginning February 1, 2022,” the city said.
Mutare City Council spokesperson Spren Mutiwi told NewZimbabwe.com that the local authority appreciates the level of compliance shown by traders so far.
“There is an overwhelming response, and it shows that players fully understand the obligations that goes in hand with business operations. That will also ensure that they conduct their business in a free environment having met all the legislative requirements,” Mutiwi said.
The Shop Licence Act Chapter 14:17, Section 12 subsection (4) stipulates that any person who fails to renew a licence within one month of the date he becomes liable to renew shall be liable to a penalty of one-twelfth of the appropriate licence fee for each month.
