Lephalale hawkers get a clean slate

The Lephalale Municipality has embarked on a project to formalise street trading at Albert and JL Botha Streets. The project started when a steering committee was formed in September to investigate a possible action plan to eradicate crime and unlicensed trading in the area.
With the municipal bylaws as a guideline, the LED (Local Economic Development) division set out to meet with stakeholders and role-players to find an amicable solution for business owners as well as informal traders.
An audit was completed of all the hawkers in the vicinity which also allowed the department of home affairs to check for the necessary documentation of vendors. Those who qualified as “legal” were given an opportunity to apply for a permit.
Vendors and traders were informed that all permanent structures had to be removed by Tuesday for the municipality to rehabilitate and clean the area. Following the cleanup operation, operational space was to be allocated to all the hawkers who qualified for permits.
The condition of the permit is that no permanent structure can be erected in the area. A trader who was allocated a space can set up a table and gazebo-like structure which should be removed at the close of business, each day.
The by-laws also prohibits the use of open fires, which means that food outlets should be operated from mobile kitchens. Permits have to be renewed each year allowing the municipality to regulate informal trading in the CBD area.