Pretoria - The Joburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) says while the City of Johannesburg encourages the freedom to engage in informal trading, the business initiatives have to be done in compliance with the provisions of the informal trading by-laws and any other applicable laws.
Speaking to IOL after pictures of metro police officers confiscating vendors’ goods in Joburg were shared online, JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the City Council sets apart and demarcates stands or areas of informal trading on any public road, the ownership or management of which is vested in the Council, or on any other property in the occupation and under the control of the Council.
“Any person who intends to carry on a business as an informal trader may apply to the Council in the prescribed manner for a lease or allocation of a stand.
“No person shall carry on the business of an informal trader at a place or in an area declared as a place or area in which informal trading is either prohibited or restricted,” said Fihla.
“Authorised officials may remove and impound any property of an informal (trader) that which they reasonably suspect is being used or which is intended to be used or has been used for or in connection with informal trading, and is found at a place where informal trading is restricted or prohibited.”
Fihla said when seizing informal traders’ goods, officers have to provide the trader with a receipt for any property removed and impounded.
“The receipt must itemise in detail the property to be removed and impounded, provide the address where the impounded property will be kept and the period of such impoundment, state the terms and conditions for the release of the impounded property,” said Fihla.
He said the receipt must also state the impoundment costs to be paid by the informal trader concerned, the terms and conditions relating to the sale of unclaimed property by public auction, and the name and address of a municipal official to whom any representations regarding the impoundment may be made and the date and time by which this must be done.
“If an informal trader feels in any way that they've been mistreated or their matter was unfairly handled, they can contact the JMPD Internal Affairs Unit by calling the Anti-Corruption Hotline 0800 203 712, wherein members of the public can report any form of corruption and misconduct,” said Fihla.
Community members can also go directly to the JMPD Internal Affairs Unit’s office at Village Main Road and Loveday Street in Wemmer.
A WhatsApp line, 063 253 1928, has been introduced wherein the public may report any inappropriate acts by JMPD officials.
“Informal traders are also encouraged to take note of the name of the official impounding the goods and the registration number of the vehicle used,” said Fihla.
IOL