Cape Town - The leadership of the informal traders at Nonkqubela Market in Khayelitsha is seeking an audience with the Minister of Small Business Development Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams over their continuing challenges regarding the dilapidated stalls.
This was after the traders had stopped the repair and maintenance project, citing issues of non-consultation of the informal traders’ organisation.
Last year, the traders were also at loggerheads with ward councillor Thando Mpengezi over the same non-consultation on the repair and maintenance of stalls issue, however, they have now put the blame on the City.
A year later, the chairperson of the organisation Vusumzi Skeyi said the meat stalls had only received a coat of paint, still dilapidated with no roofs, roller doors or paving.
“When the City commenced with the maintenance of the facility last year we raised our concerns but it continued despite issues raised.
“This project wasn't even presented to us and this resulted in unresolved issues which resulted in the meat stall being painted, without the necessary maintenance done first which we expected to be the first part of the project.
“They, as a result, have now commenced with restoring electricity on vandalised toilets without fixing anything first, and based on last year's experiences we have resolved that this must not continue until we are consulted,” he said.
Skeyi said that while they understood that the repairs and maintenance of the site were to ensure proper and secured trading for informal traders they believed that this was only a “tick-a-box” exercise by the City.
“We want to be part and parcel of the project and request the City to consult us as stakeholders first because this directly affects our businesses,” he said.
Urban mobility mayco member Rob Quintas confirmed that a contractor on site was working on the restoration of electricity for the entire trading site. He said the stalls were being attended to via a maintenance plan and the work would be done as efficiently and professionally as possible.
Quintas said steelwork on ablution facilities would commence before the end of the month, and the plumbing work would follow. He said the doors and the roof would also be attended to simultaneously.
He said currently R200 000 of maintenance work has been approved for this site.