Vendors claim police harassment at mall
Vendors fight for their rights in eSikhaleni.
ESIKHALENI street vendors who operate within the township’s shopping mall, on Monday handed over a memorandum to the eSikhawini police station and uMhlathuze Municipality Speaker Mvuseni Mnqayi, complaining about alleged police harassment.
Furious vendors told the Zululand Observer they have been abused by police numerous times. They demanded that the municipality intervene and find solutions.
‘We have been abused for a long time. Police come here and take our stock as if we are animals. We are just trying to feed our children.
‘The police always want us to pay a R50 fine. We don’t understand what this payment is for’, said one vendor.
Another vendor, Princess Ngema, said, ‘They locked me up for no reason and only released me at 8 o’clock at night. They didn’t even care that I am a woman. I could have been raped or mugged.’
Vendors also claim the security company operating in the mall also harasses them.
‘The owner of the company normally comes and swears at us, telling us we don’t belong here. If they kick us from here, where will we go because there are no shelters where we can conduct our businesses.’ said another vendor.
In their list of demands, they requested shelters to be build for them by the municipality.
The office of the Speaker confirmed that the group requested a meeting, which was scheduled for 15 August.
