The people of Pretoria expressed their views on the three-day informal traders’ protest from Tuesday to Thursday in the city centre.
Ron Sibiya
Lesego Baloyi (16):
''This protest is a big mess. People cause drama scenes such as attacking businesses and stealing. We, pupils, battle to go home quickly as taxis struggle to get into ranks and take us home on time. Arriving home late makes us have limited or no time to do home work and study. I think the government has great leaders who are capable of solving this problem. It is time to showcase leadership and end violent protest. We don’t like it.''
The three-day informal traders’ protest from Tuesday to Thursday caused chaos in the city centre.
Several businesses were attacked and damaged. People who smoke the highly addictive drug nyaope also used the protest as an opportunity to steal. These people, who are referred to as ‘nyaope boys’, are always accompanying protesters to capitalise on the chaos as it gives them the perfect opportunity to steal.
They managed to steal several items including beer that was stored on the corner of Bloed and Lilian Ngoyi streets on Tuesday. The informal traders seem to support them as their aim is to make the city ungovernable.
The informal traders demanded that the Tshwane metro stop confiscating their trading stock and licences and that the Metro police stop harassing them. Rekord visited the city centre on the last day of the protest (Thursday) and spoke to residents, workers and business people. This is what they had to say.
Ivy Ngobeni:
”As an employee at one of the businesses in the area, I always fear that protesters might attack employees. I, however, sympathise with informal traders who face metro police brutality on a daily bases. Informal traders come to the city centre to sell their products and generate revenue to support their families. This is the duty of every parent and they should not be denied that right by the same government who claim to ignite excellence.”
John Spuruma:
”People sell their goods in streets to make a living and support their children. Denying hawkers to trade is killing them. Informal traders are protesting for their survival in this period of economic challenges where unemployment is on the rise. The metro police should stop shooting old people with rubber bullets and allow them to sell their goods on the street.”
Tsakane Ngobeni:
”The protest is a serious problem in the city centre. It affects the economy of the city as businesses cannot generate revenue. The protesters fight for the opportunity to sell and eradicate poverty in their homes. They are the people and have to be put first. The metro police must stop harassing these people and start protecting them instead. The protest cost us (employees) money. We pay transport to come to town and end up working only about three hours or less, which means m
Ernest Tau:
”The informal traders strike affects employees and businesses dearly. Local businesses close doors during the protests because some protesters loot and damage businesses. This affect employees who are paid on an hourly bases, such as myself. If I am not working, I don’t get paid. However, I am not blaming the protesters because they fight to support their families. The mayor must sort out this mess. Using bulling tactics will not solve the problem, but it will make matters worse.”
Samson Mahlangu:
”As a taxi driver, I don’t meet daily targets and loads because of traffic congestion in streets that protests cause. This affects our revenue and increase expenses. We spend more time on the street and burning petrol. We fear that protesters might even damage our vehicles. The Tshwane metro should avoid such activities at all cost. The metro is at fault. They have only built a few stalls and keep on confiscating trading licences. The leaders of the metro make a lot of money bu
Josphine Fish:
”Our parents sell in the streets to support their families. They have been selling for many years. It is wrong for the Tshwane metro police to harass them. The metro must issue them all with trading licences. There is currently a lot of chaos in the city centre. The metro should show proper leadership by working with these people to solve their problems.”
Sizwe Moabi (13):
”Although the informal traders have the right to protest and raise their concerns, I don’t think it is necessary to cause such chaos in the city. They are supposed to protest in a disciplined manner and stop being arrogant. They block traffic in the streets and damage businesses – it cannot be right.”
Lorraine Mahlangu:
”The metro police are doing a good job by cleaning the city. There are a number of criminals who sell drugs while pretending to be informal traders. We have noticed a number of ‘bogus’ informal traders who sell sweets that we don’t buy. Although the sweet businesses are not doing well, they continue selling on street corners because drugs fly like hot cakes in the streets.”
Lesego Baloyi (16):
”This protest is a big mess. People cause drama scenes such as attacking businesses and stealing. We, pupils, battle to go home quickly as taxis struggle to get into ranks and take us home on time. Arriving home late makes us have limited or no time to do home work and study. I think the government has great leaders who are capable of solving this problem. It is time to showcase leadership and end violent protest. We don’t like it.”
Maphale Mbonani:
”If informal traders stop selling there will be a lot of crime in the area. We (residents) don’t want crime. Protesters fight to make an honest living. They don’t beg food parcels from the Tshwane metro, they want the metro to stop denying them an opportunity to sell bananas and other products. It is not a crime and they don’t deserve the current metro treatment. The people have no other option but to protest and raise their concerns.”
