This is part of the city council’s long term development strategy to develop a plan to more efficiently manage and support the growth of informal trading in the inner city.
MMC for Economic Development, Ruby Mathang said the city council would meet informal traders and other stakeholders – including residents, public transport operators, property and business owners, experts, the courts, and the security cluster – from 28 July to 5 August to discuss its revised approach to informal trading.
“At the end of this consultation all comments and inputs will be duly considered and consolidated in a plan for the proclamation and de-proclamation of certain city streets,” said Mathang.
The plan would be published for written comment over 21 days and the necessary administrative processes followed for city council’s approval and eventual gazetting.
“The city embraces its hawkers,” added Mathang. “We want to make life easier and more stable for those who trade legally because we want a commercially viable and dynamic informal trading sector in a clean and welcoming environment.”
The city council’s progressive approach towards informal trading included plans to renovate and improve existing infrastructure such as stalls, markets and transport facilities, and establish new trading spaces.
“We’ve set aside a budget to renovate and improve these areas,” Mathang said.
“From our side we want to create that enabling environment… whether it is bringing ablution facilities, making sure that the storm water works, sending some of them [traders] for training, making sure they succeed, and this is really what we mean by a progressive approach.”
He noted challenges within the sector such as the improper disposal of waste, dangerous and illegal trading, and the obstruction of pavements which impeded pedestrian movement.
“We are not happy with what we see and that is why we are introducing these measures… if you go into the inner city it’s like chaos.”
Mathang said the city council’s efforts to address informal trading would be in compliance with a court order issued in favour of traders after the city council and Metro police removed them from their trading spaces as part of the municipality’s clean sweep last year.
Informal traders took the city council to court and after failing in the high court, the traders approached the constitutional court which ruled that the informal traders could return to their stalls.
“We are mindful of the court order and this process makes sure we are really in compliance of the court order… we are further going to meet with lawyers representing traders.”
Details of the meetings can be found on the city council’s website www.joburg.org.za
