POLOKWANE – Officials of the Polowkane Municipality accepted a memorandum of demands by the Defenders of the People (DOP) political party and hawkers from the city.
Read more: Polokwane street traders plea for stricter regulations
Scores of DOP members and hawkers marched through the CBD from the SABC Park to the Polokwane Municipality on Thursday (July 28) and demanded better treatment of traders in the city.
The hawkers want the municipality to regulate trading permits more efficiently as they say there are too many foreign national traders who operate without permits. They added that hawkers with legal permits are discriminated against with preference given to illegal traders.
Observer journalist @Lizelle_becca is live at the SABC Park where traders demanding the Polokwane Municipality regulate trading permits more efficiently as they say there are too many foreign national traders who operate without permits. pic.twitter.com/tsaK1rEuzX
— Polokwane Observer (@PolokwaneObserv) July 28, 2022
Speaking on behalf of the hawkers, DOP President Rufus Mphahlele told the Municipality that party members are prepared to forcefully remove all illegal foreign nationals who are allowed to trade in Polokwane at the expense of locals.
DOP Limpopo Chairperson Sydwell Khosa told the Polokwane Review that hawkers have had enough as they have on numerous occasions, alerted the municipality about illegal traders.
“There was a similar situation in Lebowakgomo and we as the DOP took care of it. If the Polokwane Municipality does not act on this, we will do the same as in Lebowakgomo,” he said.
Municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala recently said their by-law enforcement officers continuously oversee compliance from traders and urged those with valid permits to not re-apply as the process only applies to those who wish to venture into trading in the city.
The municipality had not said anything at the time of accepting the memorandum.
Applications for trading permits are open until August 15.
