The confiscating of vehicles used by hawkers by Thulamela officials and police in the Thohoyandou CBD last week left hawkers confused and not knowing where to trade. The hawkers, who all claim that they have nothing else to make a living from besides hawking, have accused police and municipality officials of constant harassment and ill-treatment.

Matters came to a head when on Tuesday afternoon last week when municipal officials, accompanied by a large contingent of police, confiscated some of the cars belonging to hawkers who ply their trade in the parking areas of the town.

A large crowd of people knocking off from work watched in disbelief as vehicles belonging to hawkers were being towed away to a municipality car pound.

This has left the hawkers furious and they accused the municipality of applying double standards. They allege that the officials were only after certain individuals, while others continued with their business on the same street, with no interference.

“What have we done wrong to deserve this? We are making a decent and honest living and we are not stealing from anybody, but this municipality wants to drive us into crime. What are we supposed to do as this is the only way we can make a living?” said an angry hawker.

Hawkers claimed that they had written letters to the municipality about their status in town and had not received a reply. According to them, they are law-abiding citizens who are paying the parking rent like any other person, but they are being targeted by the officials.

Moses Maridili, a vegetable vendor, said he had lost thousands of Rands during the raid.

“Look, my car was damaged during towing. I do not even know if the municipality will compensate me for my loss. They are really driving me out of business as this is my bread and butter,” he said.

Maridili said the damage caused to his car is in excess of R5 000. “I have to repair my car now and I do not have money as they made me pay R1 200 for the release of my car from their car pound,” he said.

“Where do they expect me to get the money from? I had to go and borrow the money in order to continue with my business. I cannot just sit and look on while my family starve,” he said.

He said he was worried that the same municipality that is driving them out of business is not able to provide them with jobs.

“If they could just give us jobs, they would never see us in these parking lots. We will be waking up and heading for work like others and not bother anybody,” he said.

Mr Mbulungeni Madi, manager of the environment and waste management at the Thulamela municipality, said they had an agreement with the hawker leadership on where hawkers should trade.

He said there were some hawkers who did not want to follow the set rules and wanted to cause chaos in town. “In such instances, we have to enforce a rule of law,” he said.

Late last year, the municipality met resistance from the hawkers who wreaked havoc after being forcefully removed by the municipality’s officials. The hawkers dumped litter all over the town and even barricaded streets. After a long battle, the two parties sat at a negotiating table and pledged to work together.