Irate vendors storm FCC
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday September 27, 2016 17:36
The deputy mayor, Lechedzani Modenga cut a worried figure as the irate vendors narrated their ordeals to him.
The vendors contend that the city council’s by-law officials confiscated their stock and makeshift shades from a storage facility they had hired, a move they said was unprocedural. The goods are said to have been confiscated on Thursday night. The vendors allege that they agreed with city officials that they should dismantle their makeshift shades when they knock off. They said that they have been taking off their shades as well as cleaning their operational space constantly, but the council continues to confiscate their goods under the pretext that they are not well kept and make the city look untidy.
“In the latest development, the council officials confiscated the goods where we store them. The facility where we keep the goods is locked. We do not know how they (officials) gained entrance into the facility or what prompted them to take away our goods. If the goods were not well kept, we would understand,” said 27-year-old Thapelo Thatayaone of Borolong village.
“We really do not know what we have done to deserve this kind of treatment from the council officials. What worries me is that this kind of incident takes place towards busy days like holidays and month-end when we should be making more money,” she said.
Another vendor, Ditodi Ditodi said that he suspects that the council officials have an axe to grind against them (vendors).
The 60-year-old added that they have been inundated with requests from by-law officials that they should clean up where they operate as well as dismantle their shades after business.
“I am struggling to understand what they want us to do, because we have abided by all their requests. I wish we can be left to operate in peace like other vendors in areas such as Gaborone and Selebi-Phikwe. There are few employment opportunities. We are trying to fend for ourselves,” he said.
Some of the vendors openly chanted that they believe that the council officials are harassing them so that they pay them bribes in order to continue operating. Late afternoon on Friday, the deputy mayor returned with the answer, saying that the FCC has resolved to allow vendors to continue operating while a workable solution is being sought.
“The issue between the vendors and the city council is deeply worrying me. We are meeting them next week so that we can find a long-term solution.
“Constantly confiscating their properties while they are trying to fend for themselves and their families is not an ideal thing to do. We really have to come up with a long-term solution. Sometimes their properties are confiscated for trivial reasons,” he said.
The war between FCC’s by-law officers and street vendors comes from very far, and with the latest incident, it appears to be far from over after a lull.