Whether Witpoortjie residents love or hate them, the informal traders on the sidewalk in front of Witpoortjie Spar have become a fixture in the community.
Many of the traders have thriving businesses due to the affordability of their products, such as shoes and cellphone accessories, but their presence remains controversial.
Although many claim that their trading on the pavement is illegal, the contrary is true, according to the spokesperson, Wayne Minnaar, of the Metro Police who has to enforce the by-laws. “There is nothing stopping them from trading there, bar two restrictions – they are not allowed to obstruct the sidewalk and obviously they are not allowed to sell counterfeit or illegal contraband such as drugs,” said Minnaar.
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The business owners, who asked to speak anonymously to the Record, almost all shared the same surprising sentiment – they see the traders as an additional security measure. “I see the car guards as the bigger problem. They steal and some of them are sometimes high or drunk. The traders on the other hand, at least their presence, deters car thieves and the customers are safer because there is always activity outside.
I doubt that they wouldn’t help a shopper that might fall prey to the criminals,” said one.
Another business manager held her own views. “Their presence is not so much of a problem in itself, but it should be a give-and-take relationship. If they could help keep the centre and parking lot clean and more proactively watch that cars don’t get stolen, then it would be a win-win situation,” she said. She also suggested that maybe a part of the parking area next to the Total garage should be turned into a proper little market for the traders. The problem there is that that the traders might feel that they will not be so prominently in the public eye.
To find out what the public’s feelings on the subject are, read next week’s print version of the Record.
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