Open markets are central to urban livelihoods in many developing cities, yet they are frequently excluded from formal sustainability planning frameworks. In Zimbabwe, limited empirical work has examined how informal open markets can be transformed into sustainable urban assets. This study addresses this gap by assessing the sustainability challenges of Mtapa Open Market in Gweru and developing a context-sensitive model to enhance its socio-economic, environmental, and spatial performance. Using a mixed-methods case study approach, data were collected from traders, surrounding households, and key institutional stakeholders at Mtapa Open Market through surveys, interviews, field observations, and spatial mapping. The findings indicate that Mtapa Open Market plays a vital role in supporting livelihoods, food access, and vendor-customer interactions. However, its long-term sustainability is undermined by inadequate infrastructure, poor drainage, unsafe vending and storage conditions, weak security, inefficient spatial organization, and ineffective waste management. These challenges compromise public health, environmental quality, and market efficiency, reflecting a misalignment between market functions and the spatial and institutional systems meant to support them. Guided by Functionality Theory, the study proposes an Integrated Sustainable Market Development Model that incorporates functional zoning, standardized and climate-responsive vending stalls, improved circulation, reliable utilities, enhanced safety measures, green spaces, and strengthened governance arrangements. The model offers a practical and scalable framework for repositioning informal open markets as inclusive, resilient, and well-functioning components of sustainable urban systems. By aligning market development with Sustainable Development Goal 11 and related targets, the study contributes actionable insights for improving informal market sustainability in secondary cities facing economic and institutional constraints.
Runokunda et al. (Wed,) studied this question.