Food vendors must obey the law - G-WEST Police Chief

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Monday May 9, 2011 00:00

 

The police chief said contrary to claims, they never harass the vendors and only want them to comply with the law.

The food vendors are making a lucrative business at the Gaborone West shopping complex at night because of the nightclubs that are operating in the area.  But Bareki said they want food vendors to knock off when the bars close at 10 pm during the week and 11 pm over the weekends.   According to him, this is for both the safety of the vendors themselves and members of the public. 

He spoke about one case in which one of the food vendors was robbed at her home when she arrived in the early morning from the shops.  The police chief said there are times when members of the public have also been robbed when they are buying from vendors at awkward hours.  He said this is why they are encouraging vendors to close their businesses early.

He revealed that they have also realised that some of the vendors are illegally trading in liquor.  He said it would be very unfair to have licensed establishments closing at stipulated times and allowing unlicensed traders to operate after hours.  He said that they do not tolerate the selling of liquor by unlicensed people, adding that at times they have confiscated liquor from the vendors and charged them.

There was nearly a clash between the food vendors and the police over the Easter weekend when the informal traders resisted eviction by the law enforcement officers from the shops.  In the past, the food vendors were targeted by the police who confiscated their goods, which would only be released upon payment of fines. Licensed establishments have been complaining about the vendors operating at the mall.