Mitchells Plain Traders Respond After March

Following a march that was held by the Mitchells Plain Traders on 03 June 2010 the City of Cape Town has responded through to both CHATA and the 5^th Avenue Traders Associations. The city has noted that the issues pertaining to CHATA and the 5^th Avenue Traders are distinctly different from one another. Mayoral Committee member Felicity Purchase has states that the process is not finalized and the allocation of bays will be revisited.

CHATA and other trades belonging to the other 6 different trader associations are not happy with the relocation. Although, it has been reported by the city that traders are extremely happy. This is an issue that CHATA will challenge with the city; traders are not happy. CHATA is requesting a meeting with all of the traders in the Town Centre, the Ward Councillor, the Sub-Council, the Mayor and Felicity Purchase.

In the Town Centre, the traders are not interested in gaining power or benefiting from the process, instead it is an issue of the livelihoods of traders that have been affected tremendously. Traders need to trade where there are feet and not on an island.

It was said that tourists would visit the Mitchells Plain Town Centre during the FIFA 2010 World Cup, but nothing is happening here for the traders and hawkers during this time. Instead, the nearby community is still supporting traders, as is the case on a daily basis.

One demand from CHATA was that reports from the tribunal and workshop that were conducted be made public documents. The city has not responded to this demand and we ask why? CHATA continues to pursue this demand as the public has a right to see what went on in these sessions.

For more information please call Mischka Cassiem (CHATA) at 0731286657 or Jasmine Page (5th Avenue Traders) at 0733688690

Press Release: Mitchells Plain Traders respond to march

Traders of Mitchells Plain marched to the city offices on Thursday, June 3, 2010. A memorandum from 5^th Avenue Traders and CHATA was handed out at the march to government official Mr. Paul Williamson. The memorandum addressed the eviction of traders in Mitchells Plain, the exclusion of traders due to the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the harassment and intimidation to traders by law enforcement. CHATA and the 5^th Avenue Traders Association had a brief discussion regarding the traders who are not trading. Mr. Paul Williamson responded that they could only deal with these issues after the FIFA World Cup and that all the politicians and officials are in recess during this time. However, CHATA is very disappointed in the response from Mr. Paul Williamson and CHATA has also made it clear that the process was unjust and unfair. Councilor Natalie Bent has also admitted that the members of CAHTA have been suffering in having no income for so long. CHATA is also awaiting a response from Councilor Natalie Bent as she promised to engage with the Mayor regarding the evictions.

CHATA also sends out a message that there are traders writing letters claiming they are members of CHATA. CHATA requests that the executive confirm all letters sent on behalf of the association.

CHATA has also unified itself with the 5^th Avenue Traders Association who supports CHATA. The 5^th Avenue Traders Association is part of the Mitchells Plain Traders Umbrella Body.

For more information please contact Mischka Cassiem at 0782422263 or 0745257336

KleinhändlerInnen in Mitchells Plain: Verhaftungen von CHATA

(Translation of the following Press Release)

Am Samstag, 24.4.2010, wurde ein Mitglied von CHATA am Markt verhaftet und ihre Waren konfisziert. Vor dieser Verhaftung hat die Verwaltung von Kapstadt keine Beschlagnahme- oder Räumungsanordnung präsentiert. Weiters hat die Frau auf einem privaten Grundstück Handel getrieben und daher gab es keine rechtliche Grundlage für die Stadtverwaltung, ihre Waren zu beschlagnahmen.

Mitchells Plain Traders: CHATA Arrests and Responses

On Saturday, 24 April 2010, one of CHATA’s members was arrested from the Town Centre market and her goods were confiscated. The city of Cape Town did not issue a confiscation or eviction notice prior to the arrest. Additionally she was trading on land owned by a private owner giving the city no legal ground for the confiscation of her goods. There needs to be more pressure put on the City of Cape Town and the government of South Africa for the mass actions being taken throughout the country against informal traders. Goods are being stolen every day and the government is defending this act by claiming they have the right to confiscate what they do not feel is being sold in the right manner. Legal action needs to take place against these acts.

Additionally, CHATA is responding to a newsletter that has been circulated by The Mitchells Plain Town Centre Merchants Association, discrediting CHATA in its fight for the poor. The chairperson for the MPTCMA is Dr. MC Roomaney, telephone number: 021 392 8130.

CHATA, in particular, is responding to targeted attacks and claims in the newsletter. The MPTCMA stated that “…we exposed these people for the selfish, greedy and obstructionist opportunists they are” in the workshop with the mayor help on 18 November 2009.

Press Release: Livelihoods and Business Lost for Mitchells Plain Town Centre Traders

The community of Mitchells Plain and the majority of Traders express disappointment at the local government in the way they have handled the allocation process in the Town Centre. According to the City they have followed procedure, but CHATA still objects to this claim as their grievances have not been listened or responded to.

The City claims CHATA has a membership of 15 people, when in reality CHATA’s membership is nearly 300 people each with a membership form completed in their own handwriting.

The situation in the Town Centre has not improved since the clearing of the lanes. Traders who have collected permits and are trading in city allocated spaces are extremely unhappy with the condition of the permits, the physical trading areas and they cannot sustain their livelihoods in the areas where they have been moved. Most Traders would agree that there has been a loss of business since the evictions on Monday, March 8, 2010.

The livelihoods of many people in Mitchells Plain were lost on Monday and the City must not continue to ignore the rights of the people.

For more information please call Mischka Cassiem at 0731286657 or Yasmeen at 0842875220

Media: MP traders up in arms

2010-03-11 05:52:02 – VOCFM

Mitchells Plain traders are up in arms following the removal of their stalls by law enforcement officials on Monday. According to Mischka Cassiem from the Concerned Hawkers and Traders Association (CHATA), this was because of a new by law which came into effect last year, which had declared Symphony Lane in Mitchells Plain a no trading zone. Cassiem said that approximately 1000 informal traders and hawkers have been left with no income and their goods have been confiscated by the law enforcement officers.

Media: CHATA march postponed

2010-03-02 06:01:32 – Voice of the Cape

The march by the Concerned Hawkers and Traders Association (CHATA) and the Cape Town Station traders, which was due to take place on Tuesday morning to Parliament, has been postponed. According to the spokeswoman for CHATA, Mischka Cassiem, the Cape Town Station traders were waiting on a meeting to take place between Cosatu and the City of Cape Town, before any further action is taken.

CHATA: City’s no permit, no trading doctrine is a threat to trader livelihoods

Mitchell’s Plain Concerned Hawkers and Traders Association
Press Release – 28 February 2010

Event: Mitchell’s Plain and Cape Town Station traders march to Parliament
Date/Time: 2 March, 2010 at 10h00 (assemble at 08h30)
Location: Kaizergracht to the front of Parliament

On Friday, 26 of February 2010, a police officer went around handing out a notice to all informal traders in Mitchell’s Plain Town Centre (click to read notice) that may result in the eventual eviction and loss of space to trade for about 500 CHATA members.

In other words, if the so-called ‘trading plan’ is followed through, 500 people will have had their main source of income destroyed.  This will have an additional negative impact on about 3,000 family members of the traders who rely on that income and also result in job losses for countless other informal workers such as porters, night-time security guards, drivers, etc.  The total negative economic impact of this draconian restructuring of Town Centre on poor residents of Mitchell’s Plain is enormous.  It will even result in higher prices for consumers.  Only formal businesses like Shoprite and Pick n’ Pay stand to benefit.

Media: Angry hawkers to march

2010-02-20 06:29:00 – Voice of the Cape

Irate Mitchells Plain traders will stage a mass march in the CBD next week to protest the City of Cape Town’s new by-law on informal trading, which aims to regulate the sector. The by law came into effect in November and uses a permit system to manage the trading of hawkers. However, traders at Mitchell’s Plain Town Centre believe the system is being deployed to evict hawkers, who are already struggling to make ends meet.

March to Support Informal Trading

CHATA will be joining the Western Cape Informal Traders Coalition in a march on Tuesday, February 23, 2010. The march will begin from Kaizerchrat in Cape Town at 9am to proceed to the City Building. CHATA has encouraged its members not to collect their permits due to the conditions that will put the Traders out of business. Mitchells Plain Traders are outraged by the Media Release from the Mayor Dan Plato yesterday February 17, 2010. Many issues regarding trading in Mitchells Plain are unresolved. As far as CHATA is concerned, the tribunal has not responded to the main objections of CHATA.

For more information please contact: Mischka Cassiem 073128657 and Naiela 0729050779