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

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.

Traders Evicted in Mitchells Plain Town Centre

Today in Mitchells Plain Town Centre, Traders were evicted, goods were confiscated, trading bays demolished and livelihoods shattered.

The Town Centre was lined with police and law enforcement vehicles as Traders non-violently protested as they watched their goods get thrown into dumpsters. Over 100 police and law enforcement officers were on the scene, as well as City Officials Randall Skrikker and Richard Holdstock. As each trading bay was broken down, Traders resisted in a non-violent manner.

Traders without permits are left without the ability to continue their businesses after many have been trading in the Town Centre for over 20 years. The community is behind the Traders and we will continue to fight for the rights we know we deserve. The poorest of the poor continue to be marginalised in a country that claims to be democratic. Traders ask for support and solidarity and all media is asked to speak to the following Traders individually to gain further insight into the events that took place today:

Jennifer at 0833522658, Nazeema at 0735790445, Desma Abrahams at 0787878702, Faldela at 0839252025, Ishmael Abrahams at 0837691653, Naiela at 0729050779

Update on Mitchells Plain Traders: Law Enforcement present in Mitchells Plain Town Centre

The evictions of Traders in Mitchells Plain Town Centre have been calmed. Law Enforcement is still present in the area, but no evictions have taken place this morning.

After 7am this morning one Trader was mishandled and verbally abused by Law Enforcement. The officials approached her stand and removed her goods, vandalising her stand. She then willingly removed her goods, and will continue to trade this afternoon. She was verbally told she can’t trade today and City Official Randall Skrikker announced that she will also not be allowed to trade tomorrow.

Overall the Town Centre is calm. The perseverance of the Traders is apparent as we fight together for our livelihoods. All support and solidarity are requested from the public and media.

For more information please contact Jennifer at 0833522658 and Naiela 0729050779

Traders in Mitchells Plain Town Centre being evicted by Law Enforcement now

At the moment, Traders of Mitchells Plain Town Centre are being evicted by Law Enforcement officials: goods are being confiscated and livelihoods are at stake. The City of Cape Town is moving forward with the renovation process that will see loss of livelihoods for at least 500 Traders. Many Traders still feel that this process is not for their benefit. We are appealing for the support of the community in and around Mitchells Plain. All media is invited to the Town Centre.

For more information please contact Mischka Cassiem at 0745257336

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

Western Cape Traders Meeting

The Western Cape Fresh Produce Crisis Committee is having a meeting in the Cape Town Market at 10:00 tomorrow morning, February 17, 2010. The meeting will address the informal trading by-laws, evictions of traders and the confiscation of goods.

For more information please contact: Mischka Cassiem 0731286657, Omar Allie 0834599313 and Uthmaan Rhoda 0822924069

Letters Issued to Traders in Mitchells Plain Town Centre

On February 12, 2010, city officials Richard Holdstock and Randall Skrikker handed out notices to Traders in Mitchells Plain Town Centre to collect their new permits on the 15^th, 16^th and 17^th of February 2010. However, CHATA (Concerned Hawkers and Traders Association) feel that this is undemocratic. The permit will enable the city to control Traders in that they will be limited to strict conditions. In a workshop attended by CHATA last October 2009, Mr. Iran Anthony said clearly that those who are happy with the reallocation process must move and those who are not happy should stay until their grievances are sorted. CHATA feels that the city has created the by-law in order to control the informal sector and a call for assistance is also going out to National Government for intervention.

CHATA has now become part of the Western Cape Fresh Produce Crisis Committee in the Epping Market. Further discussion about the rights of Traders will be discussed in the near future.

For more information please contact Mischka Cassiem 0731286657, Naiela Harneker 0729050779, Yasmeen 084 287 5220

CHATA: Hawkers fate tied in with the fate of Epping Market

Mitchell’s Plain Concerned Hawkers and Traders Association
26 January 2010 – For Immediate Release

Meeting: Western Cape traders meeting at Epping Market – 10h00am

The situation for the Mitchell’s Plain traders is still very uncertain. We still do not know when evictions could take place. There have been threats that a Law Enforcement operation will commence to evict us anytime next month.

In response, CHATA has sent Mayor Dan Plato an email of concern regarding Law Enforcement’s plans in the area. Why are there plans to evict us when negotiations have not ended? Mr Ivan Anthony from the city has promised us that traders who have not registered yet can continue trading in their old spots until after negotiations have ended.  There is still another workshop planned for February.  Mayor Plato still has not responded to our complaints.

Informal Traders Meeting with Officials Tomorrow in Mayor’s Quarters of Cape Town Civic Centre

The Western Cape Informal Traders Coalition (WCITC) are meeting Mansoor Mohammed at 9h00 tomorrow, December 2, 2009, at the Cape Town Civil Centre, in the Mayor’s quarters on the sixth floor. The people that will be attending will be representatives of each area trading in Cape Town including CHATA (Concerned Hawkers and Traders Association) of Mitchells Plain Town Centre. This is another meeting regarding the memorandum given to officials by the WCITC. They traders gave officials seven days, but they responded within three. The memorandum states that there needs to be a moratorium on the evictions, confiscations, harassments and all other issues pertaining to the informal sector. Press is invited to speak with the Coalition starting at 8h30 in the cafeteria of the Cape Town Civic Centre.

For more information please contact Mischka Cassiem 0731286657 and/or Nkosinathi 0718268076