Tshwane metro removes hawkers at Denlyn mall
Hawkers were told not to operate next to the mall.
A fight nearly broke out between the Tshwane metro police and the Tshwane Barekisi forum in Mamelodi on Tuesday morning.
Tshwane metro officials were accompanied by municipal workers at the Denlyn mall and ordered the hawkers to operate outside the mall.
They were told it was bad business for the mall and were not allowed to operate next to the Solomon Mahlangu heritage site.
Irate hawkers said they were going nowhere and demanded answers why the metro should remove them.
The hawkers also claimed the metro should have at least have given them a warning that they were no longer allowed to operate there.
Speaking to Moses Mahlake of the Tshwane Barekisi forum he said they had several meetings with the metro.
“We had several meetings with the metro and no one told us during the meetings we should take our business elsewhere,” said Mahlake.
“We had been operating in the area for many years and why should the metro only tell us now to take our businesses elsewhere without a notice and what about the taxis operating next to us. That place is also not a taxi rank, the taxis should operate inside the mall where there is a taxi rank,” said Mahlake.
“We were told we are operating at the entrance of Mamelodi and it was bad for business for the shopping mall and operating next to a heritage site. If they move us here where are we going to do business. Our children will go to sleep on empty stomachs,” Mahlake said.
One of the hawkers who is selling airtime said most of his customers were next to the mall. “If I am told to seek another place for my business how am I going to feed my children?” he asked.
The metro removed the hawkers and placed notices ‘no hawkers allowed’.
The metro and Tshwane Barekisi forum held a meeting behind closed doors. The outcome of the meeting was still unknownwhich they were still waiting for the outcome of the meeting.
No one was arrested during the episode. Other hawkers who were moved, were operating next to Solomon Mahlangu heritage site and next to the Sasol garage.
The Tshwane metro police could not be reached for comment
