RAPULA MOATSHE
Tshwane Barekisi Forum, which advocates for the rights of street vendors in Pretoria, has expressed support for a recent anti-crime operation aimed at revitalising the inner-city.
On Friday, a joint operation by law enforcement agencies led to the confiscation of goods from informal traders who were allegedly operating without the required trading permits.
Forum leader Mary Ngema on Sunday said the individuals who had their goods seized during the operation were mainly foreigners, without proper documentation or trading permits.
She said prior to the operation, City of Tshwane representatives met with the forum to discuss the importance of the operation, which included addressing dilapidated buildings neglected by their owners.
“With regard to those who are breaking the law and operating on the pavement, there is nothing we can do for them as the forum. They are mostly illegal foreigners operating next to Tshwane House (municipal offices),” Ngema said.
Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya, who was part of the operation, said the City emphasised the need to enforce by-laws during a meeting with the leadership of the informal traders.
“The pavements are going to be free to be used for their purpose, which is for the people to walk. We had a resident who said they are in a wheelchair and they can’t move around because of how the pavements are used by the informal traders,” she said.
She said the conversation with the informal traders was ongoing because the City is committed to supporting them.
She mentioned that the City plans to allocate designated spaces for informal traders to ensure they can operate within the bounds of municipal by-laws.
She explained that the City’s actions were in response to concerns raised by residents, who had complained that sidewalks had become impassable due to overcrowding by informal traders, making it difficult for pedestrians to navigate.
Metro police confiscated a range of items from informal traders, including fresh produce, hair care products and makeshift structures used as shelters.
Moya said the confiscated goods will be destroyed, adding that authorities took more than 80 individuals into custody for allegedly being in the country without proper documentation.
Authorities inspected dozens of salons and uncovered an unlicensed beauty training facility that was illegally providing courses and performing procedures such as stomach reductions and microblading.
“We have one purpose, to reclaim our city from criminality, dysfunctionality and lawlessness. We are focusing on the bad buildings, we have identified private property owners who do not take care of their buildings and harbour illegal immigrants,” she said.
