19 Jan 2015

The Francistown City Council (FCC) clerk, Mr Lebuile Israel has told informal traders that they will be temporarily relocated.

He was addressing the vendors, who operate businesses on the Barclays Plaza flea market and Blue Jacket Street vendors on Friday, January 16. Mr Israel said the traders’ temporary relocation would give way for pavement of the flea market area and the Blue Jacket Street from Guy Street and Francis Avenue.

Mr Israel said the council would relocate the traders to a side parking area between Ntshe House and Choppies and near the Nswazwi Spar offloading bay.
He informed them that after the pavement, the traders would be allowed to move back to the paved area, but would be allocated spaces of 2.5 metres x 2.5 metres each.

Mr Israel said by allocating those spaces, the council would accommodate all the traders and also facilitate movement of customers and passersby in the area. He further said traders would only be allowed to use umbrellas and gazebos that they could carry home every day when they knock off.

Furthermore, he noted that the council appreciated the traders’ contribution to the economy of the city and would do everything to create a conducive environment for them.He implored traders to act responsibly and make sure the city was clean and the paving bricks were not broken.

Mr Israel further said in the next financial year, some areas at the bus rank would be paved. The council’s principal roads engineer, Mr Tlamelo Segootsane explained that the council had engaged Pee & Bee Investment Company to carry out the paving project.

Mr Segootsane said the project would start in January 20 and was expected to be completed by March 21 at the amount of over P1 million. He explained that through the project, the council aimed at uplifting the streets, maintain damaged walkways, suppress dust and spate walkways and market selling points.

One of the traders, Ms Goitsemodimo Philemon commended the council for consulting them and urged other traders to always make sure they cleaned the spaces they operated in so that they maintain a good relationship with the council.

Mr Michael Dubulo pleaded with the council to increase the spaces that would be allocated to each trader after the pavement to 3m x 3m to accommodate the 1.9m length tables that most of them use.Ms Nomsa Mulenga lamented that some people dump used disposed nappies at the bus rank leaving the area filthy.

She also appealed to the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) to provide a cover for its drain behind the bus rank. In response, Mr Segootsane said the council settled for 2.5m x 2.5m in order to accommodate all the traders.

The chief bye-law officer, Mr Isaac Kgabo urged the traders to refrain from covering up for unlicensed foreign traders. ENDS