PE's produce market turnaround praised

FINANCIAL mismanagement at Port Elizabeth's embattled fresh produce market has been significantly reduced in the past year, after the market was at risk of being shut down due to unhygienic conditions and theft.

Its acting director, Isaac Nokele, received a pat on the back from councillors last week for drastically improving the conditions at the market over the past year.

However, the municipality still desperately needs R35-million to upgrade the market's ailing infrastructure.

The city's economic development, tourism and agriculture department applied to the national Treasury in February for a bailout to repair the coldroom and upgrade some of the market's infrastructure, which is on the verge of collapse. It has yet to receive a response.

The infrastructure upgrade is long overdue as no major maintenance work or upgrading has been done to the market since it was built in 1976. - Rochelle de Kock