STATEMENT BY BRETT HERRON, GOOD MEMBER OF THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT AND SECRETARY-GENERAL
DELAYED DECISION ON INFORMAL TRADING IN CAPE TOWN UNDERMINES LOCKDOWN
5 APRIL 2020
While municipalities in Gauteng and Limpopo have announced steps to permit informal traders to sell food in the townships, the City of Cape Town is reportedly still considering the matter.
The regulations prohibiting street vendors from selling food were amended on Thursday 2 April to allow trading subject to permission from municipalities.
The reason the regulations were amended is that townships and informal settlements have relatively few supermarkets. With street trading prohibited in the first week of lockdown, supermarkets became magnets for large gatherings of people – many of whom traditionally buy food from street traders, anyway.
Crowding defeats the purpose of lockdown – to limit contact with other people – and undermines the national effort.
It therefore made sense for government to amend the regulations. It conversely makes no sense for Cape Town to delay implementing them.
After the announcement of the amended regulations I wrote to the Premier asking that he ensures Western Cape Municipalities immediately implement a simple and efficient permitting system for informal food trading.
The City of Cape Town is reportedly consulting with the national minister and “still waiting” to hear back from her.
Today I call on the Premier to inject some speed. His Red Tape Reduction Unit has long focussed on assisting formal businesses to navigate bureaucracy. Allow the unit to urgently assist those who need red tape reduction most.
Ends…