Fourways resident fed up with eye sore vendors taking over Winnie Mandela Drive
The resident, Nandi Yika, claims the area has become congested, negatively impacting the suburb's appearance. She is calling for increased police visibility and action to address the issue, expressing disappointment with the lack of response from authorities.
“Where do I start? The entire Winnie Mandela Drive is congested with hawkers. From random people selling bananas, to actual caravans on the side of the road. You can go as far as asking management at Montecasino about the hawker epidemic. We, as a community, are faced with,” said Nandi Yika, a fed-up Fourways resident, about informal trading in the suburb.
While some may argue they are trying to survive the 31.9% unemployment rate in the country, Yika finds it an eyesore, demanding more police visibility to help bring Fourways back to its former glory.
“The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) are concerned about drunk driving, as if that’s their only job description. Or maybe I don’t understand what the by-laws are. Can you have City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and metro police clarify what the by-laws are, and why they are not taking action against this illegality? I have asked the councillor to intervene so many times, but I’m just getting the same old response.”
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Councillor Vino Reddy admits that the informal traders are a problem in the area. He said he’s seen an increase since 2021. “JMPD and SAPS can attest that a lot are fronts for illegal activities, such as gambling and selling lose cigarettes. We need a greater regulation of informal traders. We need a defined location, and they need to apply for their position, with a specific number. The food poisoning was a wake up call to clean up, but nothing is really coming out of it.”
Superintended Xolani Fihla, the media liason of the JMPD, said they understand the frustration regarding the persistent issue of illegal hawkers congesting Winnie Mandela Drive and other roads in the Fourways area. “We assure you that the JMPD takes these concerns seriously. While addressing drunk driving is a critical aspect of our mandate to ensure road safety, it is certainly not the entirety of our responsibilities. Our duties encompass enforcing various CoJ by-laws, including those related to illegal trading.
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“The challenge we often face is the persistent return of illegal traders, even after enforcement action, such as impounding goods. This requires a multi-faceted approach that goes beyond just routine patrols.”
Fihla said, to address this effectively, the JMPD is committed to intensifying enforcement to increase the frequency and intensity of operations targeting illegal trading in the affected areas “Improving the sustainability of operations may involve a more sustained presence in hotspot areas, and working with other CoJ departments, such as those responsible for economic development, to ensure a co-ordinated and comprehensive approach to this issue.
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“We recognize the importance of community input and will explore ways to work with residents and businesses to address this issue effectively.”
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