Threat to historic market
The fight to keep one of Durban's oldest markets, held in a listed building, in which Indian indentured labourers began selling fruit and vegetables in 1910, is heading to court this week.
More than 800 traders from the Early Morning Market are fighting to keep their livelihoods from being bulldozed by the development of a R350-million mall in Warwick Junction.
Harry Ramlall, chairman of the Early Morning Market Association, said an application for an interdict to stop the eThekwini municipality moving the market will be filed in the high court in Durban by the end of the week.
“We are not against development. All we wanted was to be consulted before our livelihoods were put at risk,” he said.
The traders hope the interdict will buy them time to discuss their future with the city, and prevent their having to move to a new market site in nearby Alice Street.
“We have not been included in the mall because they want supermarkets and banks.
"Our futures were decided without us. The market they want to move us to does not generate foot traffic and slowly all our businesses will collapse,” Ramlall said.
He said the Early Morning Market was part of the city's heritage: “Generations have worked at making it successful.
"The stalls and businesses have been passed down from fathers to sons for 99 years,” he said.
The city plans to move the traders by 25 May.
Source: The Times
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