Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has said a balance must be struck between the pursuit of livelihoods and the maintenance of public safety.

This comes as the Harare City Council has received sharp criticism after a video of a man cooking on a gas stove in the Harare CBD went viral on social media.

The man in the video is seen cooking sadza with another gas cylinder lit with a relish on it.

This is one of many informal trading and night vending on the streets of Harare, where some roast corn.

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This incident is just one example of the widespread informal trading and night vending occurring on the streets of Harare, where some vendors also roast corn.

Mafume said the situation presents a significant hazard to the public.

"The arresting powers are with the ZRP, but people must understand that Harare is not a refugee camp. Harare is the capital city. You can not bring fire, especially gas canisters, in the middle of the City where people are moving up and down with their cars. What happens if the fire breaks out? It will destroy properties," said Mafume.

The Harare City Council has struggled to control illegal vending, with municipal officials accused of accepting bribes to look the other way.

The viral video has also laid bare the council's failure to enforce its own bylaws.

Mafume said public safety should take precedence over the hustle for livelihoods.

"Food is a serious public health issue. Those people who fall sick, those people who die, end up using the City and the City ends up paying and the residents are the ones who end up paying.

"We need to take care. We need to live. We need to have livelihoods but we must not damage," said Mafume.