FALSE BAY
The Whatnot
www.thewhatnotshoes.co.za
Handcrafted genuine leather
Checkers Centre Plumstead
Telephone: 021 762 3716
“ Unisex”
R 879.--
TUESDAY 19 January 2021 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za
The entrance to Masiphumelele which sees a large number of informal traders doing business daily. was recently “cleaned up”.
@ThePeoplesPost
People’s Post
PHOTO: RACINE EDWARDES
MASIPHUMELELE
Focus on trade gateway RACINE EDWARDES racine.edwardes@media24.com
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Two interventions run during the current financial year have worked to achieve this goal, Twigg explains. “The first being the day-to-day, on-theground operational interventions with the local community, the informal traders and the various City line departments. The second focused intervention was the appointment of a professional firm to take the urban design framework and concepts and to develop an Informal Trading Plan for Masiphumelele.” This entails the development of the Masiphumelele Informal Trading Development Strategy which will look at optimising public spaces around the taxi rank as well as how to modernise and provide capital infrastructure and well designed and appropriate informal trading structures in the area.
This includes engaging with illegal traders to get their operations above board before taking action against them. “The urban management department has started a process whereby illegal traders are assisted to register on the City of Cape Town’s e-services portal. The e-services registration is a prerequisite for obtaining an informal trading permit from the City – once the informal trading plan has been approved by subcouncil 19, the Mayoral Committee and full Council,” Twigg explains. The fully consultative process allows for all affected and interested stakeholders to provide input on the process. The urban management department maintains a presence in the area, engaging with ward councillors, the community and the formal and informal traders to develop their strategy.
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ocused City of Cape Town interventions aim to see the clean-up of Masiphumelele’s open spaces, as well as the improvement of informal trading in the community. Masiphumelele is known for its informal trading zone at the entrance of the settlement. Situated at the corner of Kommetjie Road and Pokela Road, the zone runs the length of the sidewalk all the way to Lekkerwater Road. At the end of last year, the City’s law enforcement agencies executed a “cleanup” operation of the area. Wayne Dyason, spokesperson for City law enforcement, explains: “Law enforcement removed the containers which had been placed there without permission.”
Grant Twigg, the City’s Mayco member for urban management, adds the City has ongoing engagements with permitted and nonpermitted traders as well as the community in the area so they are aware of the by-laws and permits required to trade. “The non-permitted traders who placed the containers on site without permission were engaged and given the opportunity to comply, prior to the containers being removed,” says Twigg. He adds: “The matter of informal trading in Masiphumelele and the creation of a signature gateway into Masiphumelele to the benefit of the local area, the Masiphumelele community and the Masiphumelele informal traders are high on the City’s urban management agenda. The area is an important economic gateway into Masiphumelele.”
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