The hawkers stated that the officials started by pulling out illegal connections near the school and thereafter came for them.
“We were surprised when they started dismantling our stalls without any reason. Some of the owners were not present when their stalls were dismantled. They broke our stoves, took away our vegetables and fruits that we sell and took some of our equipment,” said one of the hawkers.
The hawkers said they were trying to make a living by selling to mostly school children, but their lives were made difficult by people who are supposed to help and protect them.
They say a young hawker who sells at one of the stalls, employs another man while he attends school with the money he gets from selling food.
“What is it that we do wrong? Are we not supposed to be warned when we do something wrong? We have been conducting our business for a long time and now this. We need some answers, because some stalls across the street were not touched. Some foreigners are conducting business, some without licences, in our areas and are not troubled.”
Cllr Tebogo Mabula said he was not aware of the operations conducted by the law enforcement but will try and meet their superiors to clear the matter.
