Street hawkers in Mthatha say a municipal bylaw prohibiting trading in parts of the town has slashed their daily income from hundreds of rand to as little as R30, leaving many struggling to survive.
The King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality says the restrictions, which have been in force since 2025, are in line with its informal trading regulations.
Nosipho Makiwane, a 54-year-old mother of four, used to earn between R300 and R400 a day selling clothes in York Road, one of the city’s busiest trading areas.
“On good days, I could make up to R700,” she said.
Today, she is lucky to take home R30.
Makiwane is among dozens of informal traders who were removed from York Road and General Sabelo Gqwetha Street about a year ago.
She has since relocated to Owen Street, where she now sells fruit and sweets — but says the move has crippled her income.
“Things are very bad. We have to brave the rain and extreme heat now. At least my previous spot had shelter,” she said.
“There are very few customers here. If I make R50 a day, that is a bonus.”
Makiwane said she was now struggling to support her four children, all of whom are still in school.
“I am forced to make arrangements with their schools.
“I cannot even go to loan sharks because I won’t be able to pay them back.
“Now I rely on my siblings for help. We are really suffering.”
She has stopped paying her policies and contributions to her stokvel.
I can no longer provide enough food or send them to school properly
— Nobandla Hoyi, hawker
Fellow hawker Nobandla Hoyi, who traded in York Road for more than a decade, said she was now in debt.
“I owe loan sharks nearly R2,000. I have two children, one in grade 4 and another in grade 11.
“I can no longer provide enough food or send them to school properly,” she said.
“What we want is to go back to where we were selling because there is no business where we are now.”
KSD municipal spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza reiterated that trading in York Road and the General Sabelo Gqwetha Street was prohibited by the informal trade bylaw.
“There is a plan to relocate all informal traders, including containers, to Owen Street.
“An application for trading stalls [to be erected] has been submitted to the department of small business development, and we are awaiting a response,” Mampoza said.
He said the municipality was no longer issuing trading permits to foreign nationals, warning that the “sub-letting” of permits was illegal.
Former KSD councillor and community activist Pasika Nontshiza said the bylaw failed to take into account the socioeconomic realities faced by informal traders.
“It was not crafted with the wellbeing of hawkers in mind. It does not consider unemployment, poverty or inflation.”
He accused the municipality of failing to consult the affected traders before implementing the decision.
“KSD has a constitutional obligation to consult people before taking decisions that affect them. They knew this decision would be rejected,” he said.
Eastern Cape Chamber of Business president Vuyisile Ntlabati said the municipality had a responsibility to ensure traders were not left without viable alternatives.
“If removing these hawkers means they now struggle to earn a livelihood, then it is not right,” he said.
“Those people are fighting to feed their families. They cannot be treated as if they are criminals.”
He said informal trading had long been a stepping stone to formal business.
“Many people started as hawkers and went on to run successful spaza shops.
“The municipality should have ensured they could continue to make a proper living before removing them,” he said.
Daily Dispatch
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