MCC to overhaul vending sites

SEBONGILE MATHE

MASERU – The Maseru City Council (MCC) is mulling to undertake a controversial plan to relocate street vendors from all unauthorised spots across the city. The initiative, spearheaded by Acting Town Clerk, Moea Makhakhe, aims to clear pathways and restore order along key areas from Mokorotlong to the main traffic circle, and from the main circle to Godwill Tyres and Iketsetseng Private School.

Briefing the media last Friday, Makhakhe said the council will take a systematic approach to this relocation, which includes a 90-day review period. During that time, he said, MCC will carefully assess the current situation, identify suitable relocation sites, and engage with various stakeholders who include Maseru residents, street vendors, local entrepreneurs, school owners, and religious institutions.

This inclusive consultation process is intended to ensure that the needs and concerns of all affected parties are considered. Makhakhe said MCC is committed to using the feedback from these negotiations to inform their next steps. “We are already working on preparing the sites where vendors will be moved. This is a critical step in ensuring the relocation is seamless and that the vendors are not left without a place to operate,” he said.

The proposed relocation sites include areas such as the Metro bus stop, where discussions with WASCO are already underway to address infrastructure issues. Additional sites include Marontaboleng a Ha Rathulo, Sakeng, and Lifateng tsa Tlelai.

Makhakhe acknowledged that while about 8,000 street vendors are legally allocated sites by the MCC, there are still challenges with vendors who set up shop in unauthorised areas. “These unauthorised vendors block pathways and create congestion, which is not ideal for the city’s infrastructure and flow of traffic,” he noted.

MCC plans to spend 30 days on negotiations, during which they will meet with all parties involved. Once these discussions are concluded, the relocation process will begin. The goal, according to Makhakhe, is to ensure that all vendors have a designated space to work from, to maintain the harmony between the MCC and the street vendors that has been fostered over time.

However, the situation is more complicated for vendors along Moshoeshoe Road, who recently faced eviction due to road maintenance and widening projects. Despite these efforts, many vendors have returned to their original spots, citing lack of alternative sites and inadequate communication from the MCC.

The Roads Directorate confirmed that construction along Moshoeshoe Road is still ongoing, and vendors need to vacate as the area falls within road reserves. Yet, vendors like Pule Tšotetsi, who have been operating along Moshoeshoe Road, feel abandoned.

“We were promised a new site, but we were never introduced to it. If we had been given a proper place to work from, we would not be back here,” said Tšotetsi, who now contemplates returning to his hometown of Thaba-Tseka due to the uncertainty surrounding his livelihood in the capital.

The tension between MCC and the vendors has escalated, with the vendors arguing that they were not directly informed about the evictions and only their committee was contacted. This breakdown in communication has led to confusion and frustration among the vendors, many of whom have nowhere else to go.

Tšolo Lebitsa, Chairperson of the street vendors’ association, Khathang Tema, expressed frustration over the MCC’s reluctance to involve their organisation in the decision-making process. However, recent developments indicate that the council has agreed to open a platform for negotiations.

“We have been pushing for a more inclusive process, where decisions are made with us, not for us. The MCC has promised to engage with us moving forward, and we hope this will lead to more sustainable solutions,” said Lebitsa.

As the MCC continues its efforts to reorganise the city’s landscape, the fate of the street vendors remains uncertain. The next few months will be crucial in determining whether the council’s plans will lead to a peaceful resolution or further conflict. The vendors, for now, remain in limbo, awaiting their next move in a city that is constantly changing.