City to hold talks about traders

Talks between those affected by informal trading in central Johannesburg are set to begin later this month, the city said on Sunday.

"Starting from July 23, a series of consultation meetings will be held," spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane said.

"We are very confident that we will be able to find a solution, a lasting solution."

Modingoane said the talks would be wide-ranging to ensure all affected parties were involved. Besides the traders, deliberations would include the provincial government, property owners, residents, and those involved in transport in the affected areas.

"We are working towards implementing a more acceptable framework that will make sure all the parties benefit," he said.

The plan was to create better inner city trading.

"We [want to] create environments that are conducive for people to run small businesses and to create a cleaner and safer environment that deals with crime and grime."

Modingoane said the venues and the times of the meetings would be announced later in the month.

In December, the Constitutional Court ruled that informal traders in Johannesburg's central business district could return to their pavement spots after they had been removed from them the previous month.

At the time, the city said the removals were part of a verification process to determine how many informal traders were operating in central Johannesburg.

The traders subsequently approached the Constitutional Court after the High Court in Johannesburg dismissed their bid to obtain an urgent application to return to their trading spaces.

On Sunday, Modingoane said both the city and traders needed law and order.

"We need each other," he said.

On Sunday, the SA National Traders Retail Alliance (Santra) called on "higher levels" of government to intervene in talks to create a "fresh developmental policy direction that takes into account the needs of all stakeholders.

"We are ready to become part of a sustainable solution."

Santra chairman Livingstone Mantanga said informal trading was difficult due to illegal traders occupying spaces.

"The conditions on the ground are not good."

He said "hundreds" of illegal immigrants were trading, some securing their places by bribing metro police officers.

"They are paying the officials to get a place."

Mantanga was adamant the organisation was not biased against foreign traders.

"We welcome everybody; as long as these people are legal. We are not xenophobic."

Johannesburg metro police department spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said any allegations of bribery had to be dealt with through formal channels.

"If there is any corruption or misconduct of any officer, there is a formal complaint [process] with internal affairs at the metro police."

Minnaar said as far as he knew, no traders had ever lodged formal complaints over bribery.

Mantanga said if all the issues were resolved, traders could make a viable living.

"The traders are making good money. The South African trend is to save money."

He said traders set up stokvels, informal savings schemes, to which each member contributes a daily amount, such as R50 or R100. The sum collected is distributed to a different member each week.