Hawkers, Joburg still at odds despite court ruling

Street vendors say they are still being harassed by the JMPD and their goods are being stolen. Image: Forum of Federations

Earlier this month, the court ruled in favour of about 2,000 traders represented by the South African National Traders Retail Alliance (Santra) and the South African Informal Traders Forum (SAITF) following their eviction in the wake of a cleanup by the city.

While the judgment appeared to pave the way for the return of all hawkers to the central business district, the city maintains that distinguishing "valid" from "opportunistic" traders would complicate the continuing Operation Clean Sweep.

Despite committing to honouring the court ruling, the city has also said that the operation would continue, which means allowing the traders to return while removing those trading illegally and flouting bylaws would be difficult.

This week, representatives of the street traders accused the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) of evicting informal traders and confiscating their goods.

Traders have threatened to file a motion for contempt of court against the city if the harassment of traders continues.

Hawkers propose paying for safe streets

Hawkers are planning to propose a pilot project to authorities whereby they would pay a fee to keep inner city streets safe, clean and clear of congestion.

Santra spokesman Edmund Elias said this week that harassment continued even after SA's highest court had allowed the organisation's members to return to the inner city.

"At the moment there are sporadic raids on hawkers, with the JMPD claiming that they are illegal. There was a meeting on last week between the city and hawkers. There is still a lot that is happening behind the scenes," he said.

Elias also said informal traders would propose that the city adopt a pilot project on Hoek, Noord and Wanderers Streets from February next year.

"A similar project had already been started and was being implemented by the private sector in areas including President, Pritchard and Joubert Streets, with positive results," Elias said.

A member of the mayoral committee for planning, Roslynn Greeff, told Business Day that she was not aware of any harassment of hawkers by JMPD officers.

However, Greeff said hawkers were concerned that a new trader registration system being introduced would result in other hawkers resorting to fraudulent means to get approval to operate.

An attorney for the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of SA, Nomzamo Zondo, said representatives of traders would continue talks with the city to ensure JMPD officers complied with the court ruling. "The city officials are committing but JMPD have a different attitude when you speak to them on the ground," she said.

Source: Business Day via I-Net Bridge