The situation remains tensed in the Johannesburg CBD where informal traders, mostly foreign nationals are resisting a clean up campaign initiated by mayor Dada Morero.
The Socio Economic Rights Institute (SERI) dragged the City of Joburg to court claiming the clean up campaign is displacing the city’s poorest as well as destroying livelihoods and on Monday the high court in Johannesburg ordered the municipality to start verifying the credentials of the 500 or so hawkers then issue those who qualify with trading permits.
The municipality said it will not waste time and vowed to meet the court’s November 19th deadline. After the short proceedings, the leadership of the city led by acting mayor Eunice Mcina immediately went to some of the areas starting with the highly contested De Villiers Street otherwise known as Dunuza because of how customers would bend over backwards to thrift through tons of second-hand clothes with the hope of finding something they can buy.
” we are here. We thought we must come here and our economic development unit has also started the work of verifying these traders and we are confident that come the 19th we are know how many of them qualify for permits and issue them,” said Mcina at a tensed De Villiers Street.
The ruling is seen by both sides as a victory as it gives the traders a second chance while not barring the city from enforcing bylaws.
“We want a clean city that works for everyone and that can’t be achieved if we allow chaos. We want our people to do things lawfully and that is why we want them to register and comply so this has never been about displacing anyone,” said Mcina.
While the EFF, ANC and Action SA welcomed the ruling Patriotic Alliance raised concern about foreign nationals getting trading permits arguing they should be reserved for South Africans.
“The law is clear that informal trading is reserved for South Africans so this thing is not gonna work. Foreigners must only enter our economy as investors, just look at these people are fighting the mayor,are they bringing scares skills? No, do they look like they have 5 million to invest of course no so we don’t agree to their inclusion and we will deal with them,said Victoria Afrika who heads PA’s women’s chapter.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department officers had to use water canon to disperse angry immigrants who gathered at De Villiers Street chanting “its our home..it’s our home”.
Both SAPS and JMPD maintain a strong presence in the CBD amid tensions.
Mcina meanwhile emphasised that the bylaws enforcement initiative will be taken to other parts of Johannesburg including townships.