Informal traders feel chased away
INFORMAL vendors at Belhar Mall, previously known as Airport Mall, are facing eviction after they were issued with a letter stating that they needed to evacuate the premises.
The eviction notice, issued on January 31 by Silverbird Investments, stated: “All informal trade needs to be suspended as it is a fire, health and safety risk. Informal trade does not form part of our occupancy quota.”
This did not sit well with vendors, many of whom said their business is their bread and butter.
Riaan Joshua, who has been trading for over 10 years at the mall, said he is not leaving without a legal fight.
“I had my fruit stand all along outside of the premises and I was asked by the managers to start selling inside the premises and I did, but I had to pay a fee of R300 for both my stalls per day and this is what I’m getting,” the father added.
At times I made nothing for the day but I had to pay my fee.
“I appointed a lawyer to have a meeting with the manager because I want my side to be heard, so they can’t chase me away.”
Another vendor said she was unemployed until she started selling cosmetics products.
“I have been here since November and moving is going to have an effect on me, because where will I find another spot to sell my products?”
She said they’ve been given an extension until March 12.
However, Eugene Clark, director for Silverbird Investments, said the stalls had become a safety hazard.
“We have had a number of health and fire inspections in the building and on multiple occasions they have said that we need to sort this out, because the passages are not wide enough and there are too many tables because if there is a fire, we are impeding a fire escape.
“It is unfortunate but we cannot continue the lease agreement we have with the traders and we gave them a month’s notice due to pressure from external bodies,” Clark explained.