Market traders to ignore ban on centenary party

The event is likely to turn into a David and Goliath tussle as the traders are opposing the city's plan to demolish the market and create the Warwick Mall and a multifunctional transport hub catering for taxis, buses and rail.

The market is said to have opened on 31 January 1910, but celebrations had been put on hold because of the dispute.

Traders said they had notified the city authorities on 4 March of their intentions to hold centenary celebration today but the municipality replied only four days ago, halting the event because of "poor preparations".

An estimated 500000 people pass through Warwick Junction, where the market is located, every day and traders say the demolition of the market will destroy their livelihood. The market houses more than 1000 stands.

Harry Ramlal, the chairman of the market traders, said: "We are going ahead with the celebrations with or without the municipality's blessing. We have given them almost three months' notice that we intend to hold this event. They had ample time to respond and make arrangements but they decided to ignore this matter up until the last minute. Just imagine the kind of preparations we have gone through inviting dignitaries and overseas guests."

Philip Sithole, eThekwini municipality's head of business support and markets, denied this, saying it was not opposed to the celebration but the manner in which it was organised.

"The building they are to hold this celebration (in) belongs to the municipality. Our response was that if they had planned such celebration they should have applied to four or five departments including the metro police, the fire department and others. This thing has nothing to do with the planned development. These people are mixing issues," he said.

Source: Business Day