Since the last complaints about informal traders along Plattekloof Road, Bothasig in Ward 5, there has been some improvement in the area, an official from the City of Cape Town said recently.
This information was shared at a Subcouncil 3 meeting held last week in Milnerton by Shirley Alexander, district area coordinator – area economic development north.
Alexander indicated that compliance officers do regular rounds to the site which has lead to some improvement.
At a subcouncil meeting earlier this year ward councillor Helen Carstens indicated that some traders manufacture on site, which they are not allowed to do. In April TygerBurger reported on compliance notices having been issued to some of these traders for contravening bylaws.
There are approximately 11 traders authorised to trade from the site along Plattekloof Road, Bothasig.
“There has been a change from the traders themselves, they try to comply,” Alexander said at the meeting last week.
She said however there are still one or two traders who want to do their own thing.
“We have law enforcement assisting quite a lot,” she said.
She said sometimes impoundments are also carried out, but for most part the situation along Plattekloof Road is “much better” and the area is “much cleaner”.
“The complaints are not as much as it used to be before, we have only one lady who still sends us emails though,” Alexander said.
Cheryl Visser, councillor for Ward 1, said the area in Bothasig is not the only area for concern. Visser said elsewhere along Plattekloof Road informal traders also sleep overnight.
She said she would like law enforcement to take a look at the informal traders down the whole of Plattekloof Road.
Visser said she also have received complaints.
Alexander said law enforcement is aware of the issue and that she will raise the matter with the unit again.
“I will request that they do a follow-up,” Alexander said.
Ward 113 which includes Killarney Gardens, Table View and Parklands is also an area where informal trading issues have been reported.
Joy Solomon, ward councillor, reported that there are a few illegal informal traders in her area. She said informal traders encroach onto the private property of residents.
She said she is aware that there are capacity issues; that there are only four law enforcement officers who run around in the area and that she is aware that there is a specific informal traders unit which should be beefed up.
There are in total four legal informal trading sites in Ward 113.
