Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 04 November 2025 | 12:40 CAT

📸 SERI secures court order compelling the City of Johannesburg to engage informal traders after years of forced removals and confiscations.

The Johannesburg High Court has intervened in a long-standing dispute between the City of Johannesburg and informal traders, following the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) ‘s legal action over the continued unlawful removal of traders from their stalls.

SERI Candidate Attorney, Matete Masola, confirmed that the organisation approached the court after weeks of forced removals in October left hundreds of informal traders without income. “Our clients were being removed every day without any lawful cause,” said Masola. “That left us with no option but to seek relief from the courts.”

The dispute between the city and informal traders is not new. Masola recalled the 2013 Operation Clean Sweep, where over a thousand traders were removed from the Johannesburg inner city without notice. “This has been happening for years,” he said. “We’ve always believed there could be a workable solution to this problem, but the city has failed to cooperate.”

According to SERI, despite prior engagements and a Constitutional Court order requiring dialogue between the city and traders, the municipality has allegedly failed to uphold its obligations. “We’ve tried for many years to get the city to sit down and talk to us,” said Masola. “Even a meeting scheduled just before we launched the case was cancelled by the city at the last minute.”

The High Court has now ordered a two-week mediation process between the city and traders to verify and allocate trading spaces. “The verification process starts tomorrow,” confirmed Masola. “We believe this outcome will not only help our clients but also assist the city in ensuring law and order.”

Masola further criticised the city’s handling of traders’ goods, claiming many had their stock confiscated without proper notice. “The city says it’s enforcing bylaws, but it’s not complying with its own procedures,” he argued. “Before impounding someone’s goods, notice must be given.”

Responding to claims that traders lacked valid permits, Masola clarified that most had held permits that expired due to the city’s failure to renew them since 2013. “Our clients have always been willing to comply,” he said. “They even pay monthly rentals to the Johannesburg Property Company.”

Representing over 500 informal traders, SERI hopes the court’s order marks a turning point for fair treatment. “These are people trying to feed their families,” Masola said. “All they want is to trade lawfully and with dignity.”

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and Matete Masola.