The R11,6 million upgrading of the marketplace in central Louis Trichardt seems to be progressing well and the municipality hopes to see the project completed before the end of June this year. The upgraded marketplace is expected to accommodate up to 90 hawker stalls.
Street hawkers have been running their various food and vegetable stalls from this marketplace, situated between Burger and Kruger Street in Louis Trichardt, for many years. In February this year, the hawkers were ordered by the municipality to pack up and find other spaces to sell their merchandise while the re-vamping of the marketplace is being done.
This caused some friction between the hawkers and businesses in the area as some of the hawkers moved their stalls to the pavements right in front of these businesses. The hawkers claimed that the municipality had given them permission to set up their shacks in Burger Street while the renovations were continuing.
Business owners affected by the invasion complained, saying that the hawkers blocked access to their premises and took up the parking areas meant for customers. The hawkers also littered everywhere, without cleaning up, they complained.
According to Makhado Municipality's spokesperson, Louis Bobodi, the R11 595 109 tender to upgrade the market stalls was awarded to Tshashu Consulting & Project Managers in October last year and is expected to be completed by June this year.
The municipality has set up 14 temporary stalls for hawkers to use along Kruger Street, while many of the awaiting merchants have constructed their own stalls next to the parking bays at the taxi rank. The rest continue to sell their goods along Burger Street - to the disappointment of the businesses whose premises are so unwelcomely being occupied. These hawkers say they are not going anywhere until the project is done.
The newspaper spoke to a few of the hawkers who now occupy the temporary stalls in Kruger Street.
"We would like the new place to look like Tshakuma Market. It will look organised, and we hope to get more customers," said Ivy Nduli (50), who has been running her food stall at the market for more than a decade. Nduli lives in Mashamba and commutes to town every day. This is her only means of providing for her family.
Christina Bidi said things would be even better if the municipality paved the whole area to avoid dampness on rainy days. "I have lost many customers, but I hope they will soon all know where to find my stall," she said.
Another hawker, who preferred to remain anonymous, was busy braaiing chicken from his stall in Kruger Street and said he was also very happy about the new space as he now got more customers. "Previously I was right inside the cramped food stalls at the market. I could not get many customers, but now my stall is right next to the street, so clients can simply pop in and get something to eat."