Hijacked buildings, informal traders and an influx of illegal foreigners are phenomena connected to each other and all prevalent in Joburg.
So said the MMC of Economic Development Nkululeko Mbundu while speaking with business owners at a Roundtable Business Stakeholder event in Roodepoort recently.
Illegal taxi ranks often see street vendors and informal traders set up shop in unregulated, unsafe and often dirty and troublesome environments, the MMC said.
“We need to ensure the informal trade sector, wherever it is practised, is regulated,” Mbundu told business owners.
“There should be transport, ablutions, environmental health and clean-ups. We want to implement this. It is linked to enforcing the immigration act and we need Home Affairs to step up and protect our borders.”
This is to ensure foreign nationals entering the country are legal and documented and to deport illegal foreigners back to their home countries.
The department, as well as the justice system, often failed to do this, and that was the reason community groups such as Operation Dudula were formed, Mbundu said.
Illegal foreigners were often the ones inhabiting hijacked buildings, and the MMC said one possible solution would be to clear out these properties and auction them off cheaply to local companies.
This obviously drew applause from business owners at the event, who said they would happily restore formerly hijacked premises if it was safe to do so.
