Cape Town - Traders operating from the Grand Parade will breathe a sigh of relief as trading will continue as per the permit conditions.
This is despite the various events planned at City Hall in celebration of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s life. This morning a notice by the facility manager said the Grand Parade will be off-limits both to the public and traders.
Worried about this, the South African Informal Traders’ Forum (Saita) national president Rosheda Muller reacted to the notice saying: “Traders have been closed down. Our livelihoods don't matter.”
The notice was later retracted and another one was issued and stated that traders are allowed to operate.
Mayco member for Economic Growth and Tourism James Vos clarified the issue and said trading will be allowed.
“Ablution facilities will also be available. Informal trading is a crucial part of our local economy, supporting the livelihoods of many of our residents.”
He said given the very difficult circumstances related to Covid-19 over the past two years, the festive period is a particularly important time for traders.
“As Cape Town welcomes an influx of both domestic and international tourists, this is a prime time for trading to continue. I have specifically asked for my officials to engage directly with the relevant trading associations to ensure that there is no confusion whatsoever over whether they are allowed to trade while, at the same time, ensuring all the necessary protocols are in place.”
Muller welcomed the announcement by Vos. “We as Saita need to ensure the security of tenure is in place and for our vulnerable members there has to be a form of agreement to entrench our rights to trade.”
Weekend Argus