Council focus on foreign traders
The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality wants to know how many foreigners are trading at informal trading spots in the city.
This is to ensure that foreign nationals are in possession of the required documents before they are issued with trading permits by the municipality.
The verification process forms part of the municipality’s new informal trading policy that was adopted in November.
The municipality is in the process of relocating informal traders.
In a report to be tabled later this month, economic development, tourism & agriculture executive director Anele Qaba wrote that 119 foreign nationals had come forward during the verification process.
The first group of hawkers was moved to the Ziyabuya informal trading area in March, with 23 of the hawkers issued with trading permits.
The city could not, however, issue permits to all the hawkers as some needed to be verified by home affairs.
Other areas that have been earmarked for informal trading are on the corner of 10th Avenue, Walmer, and Heugh Road and the open field near Kenako Mall in Zwide.
The report is to be tabled in the economic development, tourism & agriculture portfolio committee.
On Thursday, Qaba said a report from home affairs would reveal any details of foreign nationals who were in the country illegally.
“Any permits we award must be in line with the policies of the country.”
Qaba said the initiative had been received positively.
“We have not picked up on any foreign nationals who are in the country illegally and we are awaiting the report from home affairs.”
The municipality was not familiar with the documents. “Because we did not know the documents, we decided to bring in home affairs. We want home affairs to verify if they have the correct documents.”
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