Mercury: Police, informal traders clash

June 19, 2007 Edition 1

Karishma Ganpath

More than 1 000 street vendors clashed with police in a violent protest against a raid on illegal traders in the Warwick Triangle in Durban yesterday.

The protest started just after 7.30am when Metro Police officers began the raid. Many vendors retaliated and threw large stones, fruit and vegetables, and glass bottles at the officers and their vehicles.

The police’s Public Order and Crime Prevention Unit was called in to assist the officers after they had failed to control the crowd with stun grenades.

Armed officers arrived in droves with a water canon that was used to disperse the crowd, and five vendors were arrested.

Warwick Junction and Warwick Road were cordoned off when the vendors surrounded the police, demanding the release of their companions.

Many said the behaviour of the police was uncalled for, and that the problem could have easily been dealth with if negotiations had taken place between the traders and the city.

Despite being drenched in water, the group gathered singing slogans that mobilised support from other vendors.

They encouraged them to fight for goods that had been confiscated, and their leaders tried to negotiate with the police to release those arrested for violent behaviour and incitement.

Metro Police Dir John-Thomas Tyala said that officers would continue to enforce the law and carry out raids on informal traders.

“Vendors are encouraged to query the matter with the city’s Business Support Unit. We are here to uphold the law and protect ordinary citizens,” said Tyala.

“They should stop attacking the police; there is a platform on which they can discuss their grievances. Some of the traders don’t have permits, and they can discuss these issues with the city and negotiate a grace period to obtain permits.”

Business Support Unit spokesman Phillip Sithole said the municipality would meet today to discuss the issue of the informal traders.

About two weeks ago, the street traders marched to the Durban City Hall protesting against the increase in their annual fees.

Sithole said the municipality had responded to the traders’ concerns at a meeting earlier this month.

“We will try to accommodate street vendors who cannot pay their annual fees upfront, which comprises R39.90 a month for an unsheltered site, or R68 a month for a sheltered site.”

Businessmen in the Warwick Triangle said that they sympathised with the traders.

One shopkeeper, who did not want to be named, said: “The situation was unfair because the traders are working to make an honest living. It’s either they work, or they resort to crime to fend for their families.

“Their goods are their bread and butter, and it was a sad sight to see their stock being confiscated.”