As winter rains continue to wreak havoc around the peninsula, meat vendors in Makhaza are fearing for the worse.
The vendors, who are situated on the corner of Japhta K Masemola and Fukutha roads, are concerned about their future. They currently trade from makeshift stalls with no shelter or other essential services such as water, something that is complicating their trade. Most of them say this is the only way to put bread on the table.
A livid meat vendor, who only described herself as Madlamini, said they work in shambles. She appealed for local authorities to intervene and improve their working conditions.
“I have been selling meat for over 15 years and we have never been assisted here. Even our local councillors don’t think about us or allocate a certain amount of money from their ward allocation budget for us to have a proper shelter. We feel neglected,” she said.
The 68-year-old mother of four described selling meat as her only option to put food on the table. She said her husband died 11 years ago.
“I am a single parent. I raised all my children with the money that I make here. I am dependent on this business. All we need is support from the government,” she appealed.
Another vendor who described herself as Cindy said she has been working in the area for six years.
“I took over from my mother. My mother worked here for 19 years. She fed and sent us to school with the money that she made here. They built these stalls by themselves. We are asking for the City to build a better place to work for us,” she said.
The 44-year-old said all they want is a decent place to work.
Ward 96 councillor Lucky Mbiza said he is aware of the plight of the meat vendors in his ward.
He stated that their stalls are already allocated a budget in the 25/26 budget.
“I’m going to have a meeting with the City’s mayco member for economic growth, James Vos this month. I will raise the issue of meat vendors. I understand their frustration.
“They’ve been working there for a long time without any help,” he said, adding he will try to negotiate for the item of building stalls for meat vendors to be prioritised.
