Cllrs express mixed views on street vendors
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday March 28, 2014 15:10
Nkaigwa admitted that the informal sector continues to play an important role in the society and therefore there was need for continued engagement in an effort to establish cordial working relationship between both parties.
Recently, the council and street traders at Gaborone bus rank were at each other’s throats after the by-law officers confiscated the vendors trade wares.
Nkaigwa said that even though they appreciate the existence of the restricting regulations they understand that the sector is made up of poor Batswana. The mayor called on the council to speed up the Informal Sector By-Laws, which were established in an effort to address the problem. He said that the continued fights with the vendors would create another social welfare problem for the government, as it would have to take care of them as well. He said the envisaged by-laws would address the issue of self-regulation, control and cleanliness in their operational areas.
He implored the Central Government to review policies in regard to commercial developments for malls. He said that all commercial developments for malls should provide small cubicles to accommodate the informal sector as these are demand driven businesses.
Furthermore, he said that there is a great need to develop a market plaza at the bus rank to accommodate the sector. He said that this could be done through partnership with the private sector where an anchor tenant would come in to support. He highlighted that the council’s income generating committee is currently having a project in its agenda and that he hopes it will materialise sooner.
During comment time councillor for Bontleng, Olebogeng Kemelo expressed his disappointment over GCC’s actions saying that it abuses the informal sector. He said that he was worried after he learnt that the council had confiscated people’s goods without warning them. He also stressed that the council never recorded the items they took from people. He said some of the vendors have complained that councillors are using their goods after they confiscate them.
Gaborone North, Tlogatloga ward councilor Tshepo Moloko told the council that what GCC is doing to the street vendors is a shame. He said that the council had failed Batswana but when they try to make a living it confiscates their property. He pointed out that the council’s actions of harassing the vendors had put them in a tight corner as he failed to explain to his community as to when their goods would be returned and explain everything pertaining to recent actions.
For his part, Sekgwa ward councillor Keitumele Gabonewe dismissed the allegations that the council seized vendors’ properties saying that GCC removed dirt from malls in Gaborone. He said that they had agreed with the street vendors to always make sure that they take their properties everyday they knock off. He said that they told them not to establish permanent shelter made of plastics and other materials to avoid polluting the town. “If they leave their things behind we see them as dirt,” he said. Councillors Ndiwaani Kenosi of Moselewapula ward, Marks Bobi of Notwane ward and Thekiso Seabelo of Village agreed that the council did right by confiscating street vendors goods. They said that no one would leave their valuable materials unless they do not value them. They said that it is high time vendors are told to stop selling in prohibited areas.