CoJ & SERI in court over metro’s removal of informal traders in parts of Joburg

The City of Johannesburg and the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) are set to face off in the high court on Tuesday over the metro’s removal of informal traders in certain parts of the city.

In recent months, the municipality has implemented a programme to remove traders operating without authorisation and outside designated areas.

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The city argues the mushrooming of informal traders has contributed to the untidiness of the CBD.

This is not the first legal clash between SERI and the city regarding the removal of informal traders from both designated and undesignated areas.

The City of Johannesburg acknowledges that informal trading often results from unemployment, with breadwinners seeking ways to provide for their families.

However, the city opposes informal traders operating without municipal authorisation or outside designated trading areas.

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero said that while the metro sympathised with traders, it would no longer allow them to operate freely.

"Our enforcement operations will continue and should not be seen as a punitive measure but as a restoration measure to ensure that we can maintain safety and law and order within our city."

Morero said unauthorised informal trading had jeopardised safety, cleanliness, and access to emergency routes in Johannesburg’s CBD.

He added that the city was ready to defend its by-law enforcement actions against SERI in the high court.