Polokwane - The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Limpopo has demanded that hawkers not be removed from their places of trade during the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Limpopo secretary Dan Sebabi said Cosatu, along with other lobby groups and the South African Municipal Workers Union, were busy organising hawkers in Polokwane to ensure that their strategic place in the city's economic activities was not undermined during the soccer spectacle next year.

"We have already had several preparatory meetings with hawkers and our partners, and we will be officially launching the initiative early next year.

"However, we want to register our deep concern that the local municipality in Mookgophong (formerly Naboomspruit) has instructed hawkers in the town to vacate the spaces that they have been using for decades," said Sebabi.

He said most of these hawkers were the only breadwinners in their families and some had even taken out loans to purchase the goods they were selling, most of which were perishables.

"The mayor and municipal manager of Mookgophong must reverse this decision and urgently find better ways of handling the matter," Sebabi said.

Acting municipal manager Frans Modise confirmed on Tuesday it had instructed the hawkers to move.

"Most of these hawkers were stationed in front of private shops and the owners have been complaining to the municipality. On a positive side, though, we have embarked on a project to build vegetable and fruit stalls around Mookgophong and the tender has already been advertised," said Modise.

He said the tender closed on December 28 and would be awarded before the end of January.

"The hawkers have been moved to other places for now until the new stalls are completed. We wish Cosatu could have consulted us before accusing the municipality of being unfair to hawkers," he said.

African Eye