November 28, 2003
By Tammy O'Reilly
AS part of the ongoing development of the Johannesburg inner city, four areas have been identified where markets could be set up for informal traders.
The setting up of street markets is part of a larger urban renewal plan to boost the CDB and encourage business to return to the city centre. Establishing and developing these markets is part of the Informal Trading Development Programme.
The City Council is determined to eradicate illegal trading in Johannesburg, but at the same time create venues where street traders can still sell their wares and earn a living. "Development of these markets prohibits trading anywhere else in the city, " according to the council.
Chairperson of the Informal Traders Forum, Councillor Sol Cowan said: "The enforcement of by-laws to prevent illegal trading is aimed at ensuring an orderly way of conducting business and also attract the potential of vast investment in Johannesburg."
The Informal Trading Development Programme involves the council liasing with representatives of the informal traders and negotiating the setting up of different trading zones in and around the city.
The job of establishing these markets falls to the Metropolitan Trading Company, a council company responsible for the establishment and maintenance of facilities for informal traders and taxis.
To date, the company has overseen the development of a number of markets in and around the inner city - in Yeoville and Hillbrow, the Metro Mall in Newtown, the Mai Mai market in Bree Street and the Faraday market.
An estimated 10 000 traders peddle their goods on the streets of the Johannesburg.
In the latest development representatives of the council and the traders toured the inner city to look at possible spots to locate street markets and four were identified: in Kerk Street; near the fashion District in Pritchard Street, Noord Street; and in Mayfair.
The next step in the process is to investigate the feasibility of the areas identified. 'Within the next few months the City will employ an urban planner and a study will be conducted to determine the feasibility of establishing the markets," said media liaison officer for the council, Nthatisi Modingoane.
Funding will also have to be secured to set up the markets and meetings will have to be held with everyone involved - from the traders who will be affected to the tenants in the selected areas.
According to the council the street markets are graded into four categories, on a sliding scale from A to D.
The type A markets are those that are well equipped, with electricity, water and fixed structures. They are usually established where there is heavy pedestrian traffic. An example of this category is the Metro Mall, where more than 100 000 people pass through the mall daily.
The type B markets include traders whose businesses, while not exactly lucrative, are still reasonably viable. These markets have awnings and shelters.
Under category C will fall the linear markets that have a basic structure on which traders can place their goods. These markets operate from designated business nodes, mostly along streets.
An area that has a painted outline to indicate trading spaces and has no physical structures falls into the D type market.
Part of the feasibility studies for the four newly identified areas will be to decide on the category of market to be established.
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