23 Feb 2014

Gaborone City Council (GCC) did not seize any goods or stock belonging to vendors in Gaborone but collected old tables, chairs  an wooden steel frames that were left or abandoned in public areas.

This was said by the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso in Parliament on Thursday, February 20.Ms Tshireletso said the collected items were deemed as constituting clutter that is unsightly and making the image of city aesthetic unappealing.

She said those items created hiding places for thieves and potential breeding spots for rodents and said the legal backing for the operational activity by the council is regulation (13) (1) (a) and (c)of the Town Council Hawking and Street Vending Regulations as formulated in accordance with Township Act and Road Traffic Act.She said the removal of abandoned wares constituted part of the condition for the use of these public spaces as agreed to by vendors who as a matter of fact are predominantly unlicensed and this action came after an extensive consultation process through meetings with all stakeholders in May 9, 2012and July 23, 2013.

The assistant minister said written notices were delivered to individual vendors between April 4 and August 3, 2012 and April 14 and December 6, 2013.The consultations included the council executive committee which is composed of chairpersons of various council committees, she added.

MP for Gaborone South, Mr Kagiso Molatlhegi had asked the minister to state reasons for the recent seizure and destruction of goods belonging to vendors in Gaborone by GCC.Ms Tshireletso was also to state in term of what powers and under which Act the council was using to carry out the task. ENDS