Gatesville Hawkers Association Press Statement

Tuesday 11 September 2007

9am

Metro Police are breaking up hawkers stalls in Gatesville!

CAPE TOWN: More than one dozen Metro Police are currently breaking up vendor’s stalls in Gatesville in the area outside Elite Supermarket.

The Gatesville Hawkers Association is appealing for media to rush to the scene.

The Gatesville hawkers have been trading on the same pieces of pavement in Gatesville for more than 20 years and yet from time to time still come under attack from the authorities.

Last weekend, Metro police came after hawkers had gone home and loaded up our goods from the parking lot where they were stored, and they then drove away.

The day before, Metro Police came around and issued spot fines to all hawkers for “trading without a permit”. This they did without even checking who has a permit and who doesn’t.

The Helen Zille regime is clamping down hard on those who try to earn an honest living. The Gatesville hawkers provide a service to the community and do not deserve police brutality.

[ends]

For comment call Shariefa Cloete of Gatesville Hawkers Association on 078 6412683