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Johannesburg - An order to chase Johannesburg street traders off the pavements came from mayor Parks Tau, the SA National Traders' Retail Alliance said on Monday.
"Johannesburg metro police today at a meeting at the Gauteng office of the public protector indicated that the instruction to clear the streets has come directly from the mayor," said spokesperson Edmund Elias.
He said the office of the public protector had undertaken to summon the mayor to attend an urgent meeting.
The alliance said the city had violated an agreement reached in August last year, stating that by-law violations would be dealt with jointly.
"The integration of people's economic activity in an orderly and structured manner with urban renewal is vital. To simply chase the poor [away], as is presently happening, is no solution."
Metro police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said the operation in the city was under the mayor's control.
"You can call the office of the mayor."
The mayor's spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
