Marabastad traders resist Tshwane’s market closure

INFORMAL traders in Marabastad have threatened to resist future City of ‘Tshwane operations aimed at clamping down on businesses that are non-compliant with municipal bylaws.

- RAPULA MOATSHE

The Unified South African Traders, an informal traders’ organisation, issued the statement after the city’s mayor, Nasiphi Moya, led an operation that resulted in the closure of the Marabastad Retail Market last week.

The organisation's chairperson Ramodike Morena said: “We have had enough. We will challenge her (Moya) next time she comes leading an operation. We won't be oppressed by ActionSA, which is using bylaw enforcement as a pretext for electioneering”

The city said the market was closed because traders operated without a certificate of acceptability to handle food.

Morena slammed the city’s decision to shut down the fresh produce market, citing that the closure negatively affected both hawkers and the public across Tshwane’ seven regions.