Illegal traders to be flushed off F/town’s streets
The Francistown City Council has passed the Informal Sector Management Bye-Law, 2020 which will address the haphazard trade in the streets of the second city.
Addressing journalists recently, Francistown Mayor, Godisang Radisigo explained the move was necessary as all the bye-laws were outdated.
Radisigo said they needed a legal instrument that would help regulate informal traders in the city.
“We’ve to come up with a database of all informal traders and come up with ways to manage and regulate them,” he said.
Radisigo highlighted that the council has to tighten the screws to rid the city of some unscrupulous traders who trade in illegal products, such as Grand Pa.
He said due to this inadequate regulation, the current set-up has led to conflict with Public Health laws and zoning compliance.
The Mayor also noted rising levels of unemployment has resulted in an influx of informal traders into the city, rendering law and order difficult to maintain.
“This has led to a conflict arising between these traders and their formal counterparts, as they occupy spaces on shopping frontages disturbing business,” Radisigo said.
“We’ve to know what these people are selling. Some are trading in medicines that belong in a pharmacy. This cannot be allowed to continue as it poses a danger to members of the society,” he added.
The Mayor further said they are aware that some illegal immigrants are also trading in this unregulated sector.
“If an illegal immigrant can happily run a business at the bus rank, it means there are huge loopholes and there’s something we’re not doing right,” admitted Radisigo.
He said they’ve noted that the Informal Sector is the future of Francistown, thus needs to be coordinated, regulated and licensed so that Council makes revenue from the sector accordingly.
The Mayor said the formulated bye-laws will ensure compliance, co-existence between all concerned parties, ensure cleanliness of the city and will also be fundamental for sourcing of operating space.
