Joburg traders say city's clean-up is destroying their livelihoods

FOREIGN national traders selling goods in the Johannesburg CBD have spoken out about alleged harassment and mistreatment by metro police, as well as by members of anti-migrant groups such as March and March and political parties including Operation Dudula and the Patriotic Alliance (PA).

- SIMON MAJADIBODU

The traders claim these groups are enforcing bylaws against foreign nationals to gain votes ahead of next year's elections.

This comes as the City of Johannesburg has embarked on cleaning operations and a crackdown on informal trading across the city in a bid to “restore it to its former glory.” Critics say the clean operations come as the city is set to host the G20 summit in November.

IOL News visited the CBD on Wednesday morning to speak with traders and monitor the cleanup operations currently under way.

Earlier this month, the city restarted its informal trader permit process in the inner city while simultaneously launching a cleanup programme.

The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has been deployed to clear informal traders from the streets.

Joburg mayor Dada Morero previously said there are between 20 000 and 25 000 informal traders operating across Johannesburg.

Traders on De Villiers Street said JMPD officers began evicting them earlier this month.

The city has since planted trees along the sidewalks where popular thrift stalls once stood.

When IOL News arrived at De Villiers Street, where shoppers often flocked to buy affordable, secondhand clothing, it found a surprising sight: the once-bustling “Dunusa” thrift market had been shut down.

Where traders once sold piles of used clothes, the city has now planted trees.

More than ten JMPD vehicles were seen patrolling the area, while waste collection trucks cleared rubbish from the streets.