The formalisation of the illegal hawker markets in town has finally started.  The stalls have long been a contentious issue with residents who have been concerned about the danger and the unsightly litter created.
According to
Mr Christopher Harvie of the Hazyview Chamber of Business and Tourism, the City of Mbombela has set aside significant budget for formal stalls which were marked out this week.
“Stakeholders have been at it since 2015, and it just goes to show that persistence pays off,” Harvie said.
A big contributor was the Hazyview Upliftment Programme that was recently launched.
Harvie said that suggestions posted on the Whatsapp group were helpful and being acted upon.
“We are very grateful to the municipality for their proactive approach.”
Licensed stall-holders, especially those who have been trading for the past three generations, will each be allocated a six-square metre area and trading will only be permitted in these.
“The by-law enforcement team, led by Jomo Malupe, backed up by Elvis Ngomane of the Hazyview Chamber of Business and Tourism, will continue to clear illegal stalls every Friday until the message gets across that illegal traders will no longer be tolerated,” said Harvie.
Once this has been achieved, Sanral will hopefully continue with plans to clear the stalls along the R40. The issue, however, is that these sellers have nowhere else to go.
“We have been in discussions with the Giba community of the Burgershall Land Claim and they are as keen as we are to resolve the problem, but we desperately need budget to build a permanent market  in an area already designated by them,” Harvie said.

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