Vendors put differences aside

Peace has returned to Ebuhlanti after a bitter dispute over territory and braai stands caused divisions amongst vendors.

Seven protection orders were issued by the women who work at the popular East London hangout.

The chairwoman of the braaiers committee set up in March, Nonqubela Gobinduku, said a meeting between various stakeholders last week had yielded positive results.

“Our challenges started in March this year after the committee that was set up in 2012 was dissolved. That previous committee only had three people and, as each committee needs to have five office bearers, we had to elect new committee members.”

She accused former secretary Khulukazi Plati of causing contention after she was not reelected back to the new committee. “Plati was not nominated for the new committee after she failed to show us the books from our previous committee.

“We called numerous meetings after the new committee was formed and she never attended any of those meetings.”

However, Plati refuted that she was bitter after bot being reelected into the committee.

As a result, the women started threatening and hurling insults at each other which led to the seven protection orders being issued.

Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala confirmed

We are all here to fend for our families

this and said the matter was still in court.

Gobinduku said: “Things are much better now although the protection orders are still in force. We are trying to make sure that our issues are resolved so that this does not affect our customers. The meetings we had [last] week helped us because we do not want to have any conflicts among each other in this place, because we are all here to fend for our families and this is where we spend most of our time.”