It was business as usual in Alexandra today where street hawkers resumed trading at the busy Pan Africa Square. Armed police officers were on standby to keep the peace and prevent members of the Dudula movement from mobilising again.

Alexandra Dudula Movement leader Agnes Malatjie said the #OperationFiyela programme has placed a number of Alex community members at trading stalls at Pan Africa Square.

Malatjie said #OperationFiyela will now shift its focus to ensuring community members who have benefited from the programme, can conduct their business without any form of hindrance.

She would not be drawn into disclosing how many community members they have helped, but said those who have benefitted will be closely monitored to ensure they can run their businesses as normal.

Although the square was a lot calmer today, there was still a heavy presence of armed law enforcement agencies, to monitor the situation.

A sizeable group of members of the Alexandra Dudula Movement were on hand to keep tabs on the situation. SAPS and metro police dispersed them each time the members tried to group.

“My request is for you to peacefully leave the precinct so life can get back to normal,” an officer told the group.

“We haven’t done anything wrong and we too have a right to be here. We cannot be ordered to leave as if we have broken the law,” argued one elderly woman from the group.

Street hawkers that spoke to Alex News on condition of anonymity, said today was a lot calmer than the previous couple of days.

“As you can see for yourself, we are able to trade and the square is abuzz with people going about their daily business,” she said.

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