'Abahambe' say informal traders to illegal foreigners
According to the Port Shepstone Informal Traders, the illegal foreigners are not registered with the municipality.
Informal traders from Port Shepstone, Izingolweni, Margate, Hibberdene and other small towns marched to Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) offices on April 14, and handed over a memorandum that illegal foreigners, also working as informal traders, be removed.
The traders wanted to meet with Mayor Zodwa Mzindle, but municipal spokesperson Simon April said she was unavailable due to a personal matter.
Secretary of the Port Shepstone Informal Traders, Nomvume Mditshwa, said the most important grievance was that the municipality must remove all illegal foreigners trading as informal traders in all towns under RNM.
According to Mditshwa the illegal foreigners are not registered with the municipality and are undocumented. They sell fruits and vegetables, repair cellphones, provide money exchange services, as well as other services.
“Some of the old traders have had to stop working because of the illegal foreigners taking their trading space.”
Furthermore, she added that some of their members renew permits and then rent them to illegal foreigners.
“A number of our members no longer work, but renew their permits every year and then rent them to foreigners. We would like RNM to help with this issue, and to only renew permits of those who are still trading.”
Mditshwa also said that they want compensation for being removed from the old taxi rank to the temporary rank which has no shelter, which they were promised.
Also, she added another issue is the grant that they applied for in 2023 to help them with their businesses, but they have not received anything till now.
The traders have given the municipality seven days to respond to their grievances.
April accepted the memorandum on behalf of the municipality and said a response will be provided in 14 days.
He said that according to the law, the municipality should given at least 14 days.
He added with the izimbizos currently taking place in the municipality, a response cannot be provided in seven days, as the leadership is not in office.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Fever’s Facebook page
