City of Cape Town’s suspension of market angers traders
Rosheda Muller Rosheda Muller
Cape Town - It's been a decade since the Green Point flea market was a regular fixture on Cape Town’s calendar, and now, hot on the heels of its return, traders are accusing the City of Cape Town of kicking them out of the market area for a football game.
Rosheda Muller, chairperson of the Cape Town Stadium Market, said the suspension of trading for Sunday’s game was “being viewed as a betrayal of trust by traders, and a slap in the face of the informal economy”.
However, Mayco member for urban management Grant Twigg said it was stipulated in a trading agreement that the market would not take place on event days. “The trader organisations are well aware that the market will not operate on event days, as communicated with them,” he said. “This condition is part of the trading plan and was agreed to by all parties.”
Muller said the notification that trading would be suspended tomorrow meant “the very existence of our market hangs in the balance”. By the time the notification was received on December 30, traders had already purchased stock.
“Traders have been stocking up with consumables and stock for the first Sunday of 2020, anticipating another great trading day. To deny them trading will result in monetary losses, particularly for the food traders.”
Twigg said the notice period of less than a week was appropriate given that all traders were already aware that they would not be allowed to trade on event days.
The market is held in the P4 parking area surrounding Cape Town Stadium. Muller said she had approached the Cape Town City Football Club, which had said it did not need to use the parking area on the match day.
However, Twigg said the area was used by taxis and buses, which dropped off people attending the game there and later fetched them there to transport them home.
Muller said the market traders would use all options at their disposal to challenge the City on the matter, and that the record of decision between the parties “clearly underpins the rights of traders over parking on tarred areas within the urban park precinct”. She said the cancellation of tomorrow’s market “showed no regard for the livelihoods of informal economy workers”.
Twigg said the needs of the traders had to be balanced with those of other stakeholders.
“The City values the contribution that the traders make to the city’s economy and strives to provide sustainable economic development opportunities for the traders,” he said.
“However, there are various role-players and we have to work collaboratively to find a suitable solution that would be workable for all.”