Four qualified vendors selling food at Kutumela Molifi Primary School in the far east of the Mamelodi, Lethabong area are claiming the school is preventing them from selling at the school premises.

They claimed that their source of income was taken away from them in October 2024 and handed over to people linked to the school, who are selling food without compliance certificates at the school’s premises.

One vendor, Sophie Chabalala (60), said they had been selling food at the school for years.

They were required to undergo training and received certificates of compliance with the Department of Health, which allowed them to start selling food at the school premises.

“The certificates we obtained were permanent certificates for which we paid R1 008.

“With these compliance certificates, we are able to support our families, put food on the table, and buy school uniforms and stationery.”

Chabalala said the Department of Education is aware of their presence at the school.

She said they have now been prevented from selling at the school, and claimed that a teacher, a security guard, and a scholar patrol officer are now selling food at the school without certificates.

A second vendor, Annah Moyo (38), said: “Our country is facing a serious challenge of unemployment and selling food at the school [helped us] fight poverty.

“We have tried to reason with the school principal to allow us [to sell], since we have valid certificates, but instead the school calls TMPD to chase us away and threatens to arrest us.”

Moyo said they are not making a lot of money, but the little that they do make puts food on their tables and helps make sure their children don’t sleep on empty stomachs.

She continued, “This is unfair treatment from the school, because they allow people who are already employed at the school to make extra cash while they have permanent jobs.”

The four vendors have had to resort to selling food and other items not far from the school premises.

Another food vendor, Evelyn Manaka (48), said: “We have tried to schedule a meeting with the school, but every time we try to have a meeting, the school calls the TMPD to chase us away.”

Manaka confirmed that she has six dependents who look up to her to put food on the table, adding that despite showing TMPD their certificates of compliance, they were chased away and the officers threatened to take their stock.

Kagiso Sindane of the Mamelodi branch of the Congress of South African Students said that the vendors have every right to sell at the school premises.

Sindane said the vendors underwent training and have acquired certificates of compliance that allow them to make and sell food.

“We are going to fight for their reinstatement and also approach the department about a teacher selling food, including the scholar patroller and security guard,” said Mosese.

“These women have certificates of compliance that allow them to sell, and the school has no right to chase them [away],” he added.

Earlier this week, Freddy Mosese, a community leader in Lethabong, said: “We are not going to let this slide under the table. We want answers from the school and the reason why the poor women who are trying to make a living were chased away from the school.”

Mosese added that the school principal has been made aware of the matter and has since promised to reinstate the women.

Gauteng Department of Education Spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department is aware of the matter and has already started with investigations.

Mabona added that the department can confirm that there are no individuals selling at Kutumela Molefi Primary School, and none of the former vendors had brought compliance certificates and been denied entry to the school. According to him, the allegations are therefore unfounded.

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