Olievenhoutbosch, outside Pretoria – Informal traders whose businesses were demolished by the City of Tshwane along the R55 and Samrand roads say the action has devastated their only source of income and left them uncertain about their future.
The municipality carried out the demolitions three days ago as part of its Rea Spana by-law enforcement campaign, targeting illegally erected business structures. Illegal water and electricity connections were also disconnected.
A resident who migrated from the Eastern Cape nearly a decade ago, had operated a hair salon at the site for years. She highlighted its convenient location near Centurion, Midrand, and other economic hubs, which attracted a steady flow of clients.
“Now I’m plaiting people on the streets and I don’t know. I don’t know how this will end because no one wants to come outside. No one wants to be plaited outside where there’s dust. August is approaching. How are we going to work? How are we going to pay for all of our expenses?” she said.
An owner of a motor repair workshop that had operated on the site since 2008, expressed deep concern for himself and his employees. He noted that the business had provided employment and enabled families to put food on the table.
A Qualified motor mechanic, who has assisted at the workshop for over a decade after completing his studies in 1998, said he has never secured formal employment and now fears he will be unable to support his family and relatives.
The affected traders have appealed to the City of Tshwane to provide alternative trading spaces. They indicated willingness to apply for permits and pay for legal sites.
“I don’t mind applying and paying for a permit. I don’t mind at all. The only thing that I want… is for them to find us a place where we can work. They should have given us an alternative place to work from. They should have just shown us a new place to operate from and told us how much we need to pay to use the space and we would do so,” one of the traders pleaded.
The City of Tshwane maintains that the campaign ensures traders operate within the confines of its by-laws. A spokesperson for the municipality explained that anyone wishing to conduct business in the city must register their interest with the City’s business compliance and regulations division.
The municipality has invited informal traders to attend an informal trading workshop on Monday, 13 April, at Swan House Council Chambers. The session aims to help traders understand the importance of the City’s informal trading and township economy by-law.
A municipal spokesperson, said the City is in the process of expanding legal trading spots in areas such as Mabopane and Marabastad.
The demolitions have highlighted the ongoing tension between by-law enforcement and the livelihoods of informal traders who operate without formal approval. Affected individuals are now salvaging what remains from the rubble while awaiting clearer guidance on legal alternatives.