Street venders look to Mayor John Mpe for support

POLOKWANE – Street vendors in the city are looking to Mayor John Mpe to resolve their issues in terms of operating licences and putting bread of the table for their families.

The mayor recently summoned representatives to a meeting at the municipality in an effort to listen to and get an understanding for the frustrations they experience.

The RSA Street Sellers Concerned Group says their trouble started with illegal immigrants who sell outside the confinements of the set by-laws that include payable permits, and people who transport goods daily while using municipal parking bays without paying.

Association chairperson Tebogo Kortes Shokane says they have reached an agreement with the municipality to firstly look into and eradicate the sale of drugs and the issue of foreigners, by reporting this to municipal officials and law enforcement agencies.

Shokane also issued a warning to municipal officers who protect perpetrators in exchange for cash saying the hawkers have the support of the mayor.

“In the past, law enforcement officials of both the police and the municipality did not care or check whether a person like me operated with a permit or not. They would simply confiscate my stock and furniture and get it mixed up with other people’s goods. This, while they would solicit cash from immigrants who would then keep their stock to sell. Those who sell drugs would in the past be overlooked because they pay the bribes that officials ask, while we suffer. We told all of that to Mpe and we are prepared to help clean up our city of drug users and street dwellers as they are the ones responsible for the theft in the city,” he added.

Another point on the agenda was the refurbishment of the hawkers market, a project in the CBD that was envisioned 15 years ago, and which was meant to serve as a hawkers hub.

“The building is located next to the area in town that was also meant to be the Westenburg taxi rank,” Shokane remarked.

Mpe has since promised to look into the group’s grievances with the relevant members of the mayoral committee.