Pretoria - After living off the profits made from trading informally on the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) trains for close to 30 years, informal traders from Mamelodi are pleading for a lifeline.
While commuters reliant on the Pienaarspoort rail corridor between Mamelodi and Bosman stations in Pretoria celebrated the resumption of the service last week, informal traders yesterday said there was little to celebrate for them.
Stephinah Rakau, a mother of four from Mamelodi, said she had been selling her wares inside the trains to support her children for up to 28 years and getting by as best she could.
Rakau said she was excited on hearing news of the resumption of the railway service and eager to start working due to the fact that she could not make as much profit when the trains were suspended.
The railway services were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to extensive vandalism of rail infrastructure and cable theft.
However, on resumption of the services, Rakau said the informal traders “who caused no harm were no longer welcome” in the new trains.
She said they were not even informed how and on what conditions they would be allowed to continue plying their trade on the trains.
“It was difficult trying to sell elsewhere; we even tried to sell at taxi ranks and other places, but we were often chased away. That is why we were so happy when we heard that the trains were coming back.
“Our children and families live off the profits we make on these trains, but now as soon as we approach the platform or try to get on the train, security guards move us, saying they don’t want us at all,” she added.
Rakau said they had tried to find out what the problem was with them selling on the trains and even asked if there were applications that could be made, but there was no one willing to talk to them.
Joel Kgaphola, another informal trader who started in 2019, said the situation was tense when security kicked them off the trains at Eerstefabriek Station. He said they even took some of their stock.
“We’re not working and this was our only way to sustain our families. My family are suffering and my wife is constantly angry with me because I can’t even put bread on the table.
“All they say to us is that we’re making the trains dirty, but if that is truly the problem, we are willing to clean up if it means we can at the very least continue working,” said Kgaphola.
Prasa acting CEO Hishaam Emeren said they had formal traders policies in place which informed their decisions on the matter.
Emeren stressed trading inside the trains was not allowed per the policy.
“I know there were questions about selling inside the trains; that too is not allowed. This is informed by issues of safety and cleanliness to sustain these carriages. It’s like that around the world. But outside and around the stations, yes, trading activity can be allowed to happen,” he said.
Pretoria News