Traders tell Prasa to beef up security

SMALL business owners at the Cape Town railway station have taken their grievances to the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa).

The group was furious at a lack of security and visible policing among other things.

A large group including Congolese, Nigerians, Zimbabweans and South Africans traders rallied, marching through the station singing freedom songs and brandishing sjamboks and knobkierries.

Richard Mcebisi Dosi, spokesman of the small business association, said they were tired of being mistreated by Prasa.

“The electricity rate is too high; I pay R2 000 monthly, excluding the rent of R1 400.

“I don’t mind paying rent but paying so much for this small container that can’t even fit in all my stuff is too much.

“When I compare to the old structures that we used to own that’s a huge difference.

“I used to pay only R120 monthly rent and I used to see my gain but now, nothing. Everything is going back to Prasa.

“We paying in one account, with same reference number and they don’t even know who paid or not but come and close your shop with no proof.”

Bukelwa Magayeni, 49, sells fast food: “I’m fed up with Prasa.

“This is small business for blacks and coloured people who want to make a living. Now Prasa want to destroy us.”

Magayeni said Prasa placed more food outlets next to theirs and has opened a food court (in the new section), starving them of business.

Fortune Ndlovu, owns a shop that was cleared out in a robbery: “We are tired of Prasa that promises security, but my shop was broken into and when I reported it to them, they told me it’s not their problem.

“We are aware of the illegal drug businesses that happen next to our shops. We demand police visibility and Prasa must make sure that is happening as they are the reason we don’t feel safe here.”

Among the grievances was a demand for better facilities, saying that up to 350 trading stands had to share one toilet, and the female toilets were not equipped with female hygiene disposal bins.

There was often also no toilet paper. The group also demanded that Prasa remove pre-paid electricity boxes, which they say eat into their profits, and they want security at the station beefed up.

Prasa’s property manager, Henry Masimla, said his team would go through the memorandum before responding to the grievances.