Street vendors in the taxi rank have literally been left out in the cold for the last two years.
As part of the upgrading of the taxi rank, the municipality built twenty lock-up stalls for these vendors in an attempt to formalise the informal trading in the area. These stalls have never been used for that purpose since they were built in 2015, however.
According to John McDonald, secretary of the Potchefstroom CPF, they have not only become an eyesore but also a crime generator. Crimes ranging from prostitution to robbery are being committed in this area and, he says, the stalls have contributed to the increase in crime in the area. Ironically, the taxi rank upgrade, which reportedly cost the municipality about R5 million, was meant to deal with these and other issues. Another aim was to reduce the number of illegal traders in the area, in favour of those who pay for the right to do business in the taxi rank.
Street vendors pay R20 per month to be able to peddle their wares on the pavements around the taxi rank. According to Hans-Jurie Moolman, the former ward councillor for the area, his plan was to develop this area into a mini-mall. ‘We wanted to develop the vendors into small businesses; NWU’s business school even undertook to offer short courses on basic business management,’ he said.
When the funds were finally made available, around 20 of the 4×3 structures were built. But, according to Moolman, this was not sufficient for the needs of the vendors.
‘Some of the vendors are barbers who have different needs to a person selling something else,’ he said.
According to Lentikile Chuche, one of the vendors, he has been fixing shoes at the taxi rank for over 15 years. He saw the stalls being built but no one from the municipality ever informed them about the process of obtaining one. ‘Now, all you see are street kids living there and tsotsis using the places. We need help,’ said Chuche.
When the Herald went to see the condition of the stalls, first-hand, it was clear that people have moved into some of them. Some have gone as far as fitting their own padlocks to the gates. Those that have not been occupied by people seem to be used as toilets and dumping sites. Condoms and broken liquor bottles littered many of the stalls. All over, there was evidence that fires had been made, suggesting that vagrants use them for shelter during the night.
Willie Maphosa, the municipal spokesperson, has undertaken to provide feedback in next week’s edition of the Herald as the relevant officials were out of the office for the week.
