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In the last 48 hours, the Department of Economic Development has been undertaking a process to verify at least two hundred informal traders operating in the inner city. 

The process is part of Operation Buya Mthetho, an initiative led by the MMC for Public Safety, Councillor David Tembe, to ensure that the rule of law is restored to parts of the City and sectors of the economy that have been affected by lawlessness.  

As of today, only 21 of the approximately 200 informal traders that were found to be operating from non-demarcated spaces have presented themselves for verification, and their details are confirmed as per the original Joburg Property Company rental register. 

Plein Street had the biggest trader turnout, with seven people presenting themselves with the required documents, to the relevant officials. The verified traders have subsequently been contacted via bulk SMSes and have been permitted to return to trade. 

The Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has also been sent the verified list of traders and will continue to carry out their law enforcement operations. The rent register is being updated continuously and provided to the JMPD for alignment and to ensure illegal operators are barred from continuing. 

One of the Multi-Party Government’s priorities is to create of a business-friendly city. We endeavour to create a growth-enabling environment for all sectors of the economy. This requires a system that ensures order and the enforcement of the City’s by-laws. 

We encourage traders who have not presented themselves to do so in good faith as this will ensure that they are able to return and conduct their daily business in accordance with the by-laws. The City will also conduct its processes with all due consideration for the rule of the law, rights and dignity of all affected stakeholders.

The verification process was carried out in the following streets: King George, Plein, De Villiers, Hoek and Wanderers. The process and the Buya Mthetho operation will now move to other parts of the City. 

As a coalition government determined to fix what is wrong in the City, we invite traders that are not on the original rental register and who could not be verified to submit their documentation to the Department of Economic Development’s Informal Trade Sub-Unit at 66 Jorissen Place, Braamfontein. 

Issued by Cllr Nkululeko Mbundu