TZANEEN – The Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) says it is confident it will eventually win the ongoing battle against illegal trading in the Tzaneen CBD and along the R71.

Speaking during a media networking session, Cllr Renny Mabuza told the Herald that the municipality, in collaboration with law enforcement officers, is working to restore order in the town. He said more clean-up campaigns will be launched to ensure that everyone trading without proper permits complies with the law.

For decades, GTM has struggled to curb illegal street trading in hotspots such as Danie Joubert Street, the R71, and other busy parts of the CBD.

In August this year, the municipality launched a large-scale cleaning campaign that temporarily cleared the streets of illegal traders and debris, leaving the CBD looking “squeaky clean.” However, just a few days later, many hawkers had returned to their previous spots.

Mabuza acknowledged the complexity of the issue, saying that while people are trying to make a living, trading in prohibited areas cannot be allowed to continue.

Business owners call for fair enforcement

The campaign was prompted by complaints from licensed businessowners, who argued that they pay rates and taxes and follow municipal regulations while illegal traders continue to operate unchecked.

Residents have also expressed frustration, describing the CBD as dirty, overcrowded, and unsafe. Danie Joubert Street, in particular, has become so congested that pedestrians struggle to move freely, with one resident saying they now avoid that part of town altogether because of the chaos.

Municipal spokesperson Vutivi Makhubele previously stated that there are only 75 legally demarcated vendor sites in the CBD, yet more than 200 traders currently operate there.

By law, street vendors must obtain a trading permit from the municipality. They are also required to keep their trading area clean, avoid blocking pedestrian pathways, refrain from operating in parking bays, and not use megaphones, speakers, or shouting to advertise their goods.

DA wants answers

Meanwhile, DA Ward 15 Cllr Chrizelle Dreyer said she has submitted formal questions to the municipality for a written response at the upcoming council meeting on October 30.

She explained that the DA seeks clarity on the municipality’s current processes to monitor and regulate informal trading in Tzaneen and wants to know what measures will be taken to strengthen regulation and enforcement to ensure fairness between informal traders, formal businesses, and the public.

She stressed that the DA fully supports the right of informal traders to earn a livelihood, but this must take place within a clear regulatory framework that ensures safe, orderly, and equitable trading for the benefit of all.