Police in the Zimbabwean capital Harare are arresting more than 200 people daily as they continue a blitz on market vendors and street vagrants, state radio reported on Sunday.
”Police are aware that touts, street people and illegal vendors that had disappeared from the city are gradually resurfacing,” the radio said.
A police spokesperson, Edmore Veterai said that teams of police were patrolling the streets of Harare ”and are scoring successes against criminals”.
A police blitz against street vendors and vagrants, as well as shack dwellers and flea market traders was launched in May.
The government said it was meant to spruce up towns and cities and clamp down on a flourishing black market in scarce commodities like foreign currency.
The clean up exercise officially came to an end last month. At its height, riot police destroyed workshops, houses, cottages and shacks that they said had been built illegally.
Hundreds of street vendors were arrested and fined and vagrants rounded up.
The clampdown was condemned by the United Nations as a ”disastrous venture”.
An envoy sent by the world body to investigate the impact of the operation estimated that about 700 000 people in the recession-hit country have been made both homeless and jobless. – Sapa-DPA