HawkersprotestagainsttradingbaninMthathaCBD
BABALWA NDLANYA
MEMBERS of the African Hawkers Association, who were recently removed by the Department of Public Safety under the King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality, marched last week to the municipal offices to submit a petition
The hawkers were displaced from York Road and Sutherland Street in Mthathas Central Business District (CBD), where they had previously been operating
They were joined by members of various political organisations who came to show their support
Babalwa Nkosiyane, Regional Coordinator of the Mkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) in the OR Tambo District, stated that 70% of the hawkers are members of her organisation, which is why they chose to lend their support
“Out of frustration, after sitting at home for two months without an income and facing abuse from the municipality, the hawkers approached us for intervention The municipality has been confiscating their goods on York Road and Sutherland Street We tried to engage
with the municipality, but it was all in vain,” said Nkosiyane
She added that the group decided to march to demand answers and insisted that the municipality must allow them to continue with their businesses on these two streets
According to her, municipal officials refused to engage with the hawkers, citing ongoing court proceedings, despite the hawkers expressing their willingness to reach an out-ofcourt settlement
“We acknowledge that there is a court case scheduled for August However, as we hand over this petition, we are giving the municipality 21 days to respond to our grievances If they fail to do so court case or not we will shut down Mthatha CBD The level of frustration among these people is painful; they are merely trying to put food on the table, but the municipality is working against them ”
She emphasised that many of the hawkers are the sole breadwinners for their families and have now endured nearly two months without any income
Simthembile Ndungane, Chairperson of the African Hawkers Association in King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality, accused the
RefurbishedDutywaTownHalloffi
THE Mayor of Mbhashe Local Municipality, Councillor Samkelo Janda, recently handed over and officially opened the refurbished Dutywa Town Hall in Mthatha
The refurbishment aimed to revitalise the Town Hall, ensuring that it meets modern standards while preserving its cultural and architectural heritage
The refurbished facility now includes office space, public ablution facilities, a guardhouse, Jojo tanks, and a boardroom, among other features As part of the municipality’s job creation efforts, a total of 20 people were employed during the project
BEFORE:
Speaking on behalf of the ratepayers, Nonceba Klaas commended the municipality for the effort and welcomed the project
“The municipality continues to restore the dignity of its citizens through service delivery We will now be able to host our events and ceremonies,” Klaas said Janda highlighted the importance of preserving and restoring heritage sites, adding that the municipality remains committed to upgrading community facilities “Soon, we will be working towards giving the Willowvale Town Hall in Willowvale a facelift I appeal to senior management to ensure that the facili-
municipality of unfairly targeting hawkers trading on the two main streets of the CBD
“It has now been two months since hawkers have been prohibited from trading If they attempt to sell their goods, they are arrested by the municipality We are joined by various political organisations that recognise the hardship we are experiencing Since 2016, the municipality has been attempting to drive hawkers out of these streets,” said Ndungane
He highlighted that they had made numerous efforts to engage with municipal officials, arguing that the municipality should not remove traders from areas that attract customers
“What is worse is that these hawkers are being removed without being allocated alternative trading spaces
“They had promised to close Owen Street and build stalls, designating it as a formal business area, but that promise has not been fulfilled Now they are using force and municipal police officers to remove hawkers ”
Sonwabo Mampoza, spokesperson for the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality, confirmed that hawkers had been removed in early June 2025 He explained that the Department of Public Safety is working to improve
ties are well-maintained and beautified
"Such facilities are also a return on investment as we must ensure that we collect revenue through hall hire and the use of the public ablution facilities," said Janda
He also urged the community to safeguard municipal facilities against vandalism and theft
Theinitialscopeofworkincludes:
• Repairs and refurbishment of the Town Hall (stage, lighting upgrading of electrical connections with Eskom)
• Construction of a new public ablution facility
Refurbishment of the existing public facility
the appearance and cleanliness of Sutherland Street and York Road
“To achieve this, the municipality has decided to require street vendors to vacate these two streets,” said Mampoza
He clarified that the municipality has repeatedly attempted to engage with the hawkers, informing them that trading on these streets is prohibited and that no trading permits have ever been issued for them
“Despite multiple warnings, some vendors continued to operate We advised them to consult with the Department of Public Safety to secure allocation to suitable vending areas There are designated streets for trading, and we encourage hawkers to follow the correct procedures ”
Mampoza noted that banks and other businesses operate in the affected area, making it unsuitable for informal trading
“This is not a new initiative Although there has been resistance in the past, we have consistently reminded hawkers of the regulations ” Regarding the previously announced plan to convert Owen Street into a flea market, Mampoza stated that consultations with stakeholders are ongoing
• Refurbishment of the guardhouse
• Constructionofnewpavingforthedrivewaysandparking area
Development of landscaping
• Installation of a new ClearVu fence
• Construction of a pergola structure
Installation of water tanks
• Repairs and upgrades of plumbing
• Installation of a streetlight within the yard
• Installation of external downlights surrounding the building
• Installation of a coin collector machine for public ablution facilities
Installation of water pumps
Sport
AmaviyoviyoFCbecomefirst Qumbuteamtobepromoted
HOSEYA JUBASE
FOR the first time, Qumbu will have a team participating in the OR Tambo Hollywood Bets Regional League
This comes after Amaviyoviyo FC secured their promotion spot this past Sunday during the OR Tambo Regional playoffs held at Qumbu Sports Field
Amaviyoviyo FC chairman, Khangelani Gqwabaza, said he is delighted with their team's achievement
The team is based in the Mndeni locality in Qumbu and is one
of the most loved teams in the King Mhlontlo Municipality
"I used to play for this team during my childhood This is the pride of Qumbu and I am excited to have won these play-offs," said Chairman Gqwabaza
"In 2015, I took over the team and I decided not to change the name because this is our pride of Mndeni in Qumbu
"We have been trying to get this promotion
“Even last season we were beaten in the play-offs, and we finished second, but we failed to get the promotion, and this year we have managed to secure our
ANELE RAZIYA
THE football tournament organised by former ABC Motsepe League player, Julias Jonga formerly of Matta Milan FC reaches the quarter-final stage this Saturday in Maclear/Qaqarhu, with the final match to be held on Sunday
The tournament kicked off last weekend at the Sonwabile Sports Ground, where 18 teams from across Qaqarhu battled for a coveted spot in the quarter-finals
Speaking to event organiser, Julias Jonga, about the tournament’s progress, he revealed that the event was originally scheduled to run over just two days, Saturday and Sunday
Unfortunately, the games began late on Saturday due to unforeseen issues, meaning the remaining seven first-round fixtures had to be played on Sunday
Following Sunday’s matches, Jonga and his organising committee conducted the draw for the nine quarter-finalists
According to the draw:
• Aston Villa FC will face Stellenbosch FC;
• Al Ahly FC meets Ukhahlamba FC;
• AmajitaPSGFCtakesonHopeUnitedFC;
• Spurs FC will play against Thongathi FC;
Amabunga FC, on a standby basis, will wait for the next round
The quarter-final matches will take place this Saturday, followed by the semi-finals and final on Sunday
The winning team will receive a brand-new football kit, a trophy and gold medals, while the runners-up will be rewarded with R1,500 and silver medals
Jonga explained that the purpose of the tournament is to steer young people away from drugs and alcohol, while also giving them a chance to showcase their talents to football fans
He also aims to select a squad of 30 young players who will go on to play exhibition matches against Premier Soccer League and ABC Motsepe League teams, potentially giving them a pathway to be scouted by professional clubs
The quarter-final fixtures will be played at the Sonwabile Sports Ground in Qaqarhu
The local SAPS and Elundini Municipality officials are expected to attend and deliver motivational speeches, encouraging youth to focus on their futures and steer clear of substance abuse
place in the OR Tambo Hollywood Bets Regional League
"This is the first time in the history of Qumbu to have a team playing in the Regional League
This is a very proud moment for us We are proud of this achievement and this will indeed motivate young players from rural areas to work harder "
During the play-offs, Amaviyoviyo FC won their first match 4-0 against Ntlambela FC from Nyandeni municipality, then in the final match they played a 1-1 draw against Ghetto Rovers FC from King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality
CoachPeterishappywithhissuccess
HOSEYA JUBASE
"I have learned a lot at the regional leagues, and I am ready now to showcase my coaching skills at a high level if that opportunity comes
"I have grown enough," said Coach Thembalethu Peter
Coach Peter was speaking to Mthatha Express as he reflected on his career after working for over five teams in the past few years as a head coach and assistant coach
Currently, Peter is the assistant coach at WSU Butterworth FC playing in the Regional League
Recently, the coach won the Mnquma LFA title with WSU U21, achieving a 100% winning record of 20 games in the 2024/25 season
The 32-year-old former Young Swallows FC player told Express that it was a great experience for him to work for different teams at his age and that this shows
that he is capable of adjusting to any technical team and gaining results for the team
Peter said that a high-level opportunity is coming now and emphasised that he is prepared to work with other coaches to improve the university team to the Regional League and up to the Motsepe League if possible
"Having worked for so many teams, I was just waiting for the right time and to gain enough experience at the regional league level
"I have lost and won some competitions and carried out the mandates of the teams and saved other teams from relegation "
"I have grown enough and am ready for a level ahead of the ABC Motsepe League I am ready to take on any challenge now in the ABC Motsepe League If that doesn't happen, then I will push for my team to reach the Motsepe League "
Coach Thembalethu Peter is currently pursuing his CAF C Licence coaching qualification on a course currently organised by Nozulu Youth Legacy Cup and Mnquma LFA, and about 30 coaches are also part of this coaching course which is expected to end by August 2, 2025
Coach Peter also holds the following educational qualifications: National Diploma in Management (WSU), B-Tech in Management (WSU) and PGCE (Business Studies and CAT, WSU)
Coach Peter is originally from Mbhobheni location in Bizana Peter previously coached: Young Swallows (LFA,SAB), Sisonke FC (SAB) , Bizana Faku Chefs (SAB), Mtamvuna FC (won Alfred Nzo stream SAB), Bizana
and Young
Motsepe)
Amajita PSG FC are among the teams competing in the quarter-finals.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Lucky Stars (SAB), Pondo City (SAB), Ganyile Sports Academy (u/15 and u/17), Alfred Nzo Schools Team (2023)
Challengers (ABC
Amaviyoviyo FC from Qumbu were promoted to the OR Tambo Regional League.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED