Lekopanye Mooketsi
17 November 2008
City council employees on Saturday started demolishing structures belonging to informal traders at the Gaborone West shopping complex and surrounding areas.
The operation targeted stalls belonging to barbers, vegetable vendors and other people operating small businesses.
As they went about their operation, the over-zealous council employees threatened to beat up anyone who stood in their way, including journalists.
As they went on with their job, one of the bye-law enforcement officers was heard remarking that "these shacks do not belong to poor people".
The demolition squad was armed with crowbars and other tools. Barbers who have been operating for years behind the shops found themselves without shelter after the demolition squad dismantled their structures. Vegetable vendors were also not spared as their stalls were demolished as well.
A vendor, Seleko Ntswapong, broke down after the demolition squad had demolished his stall.
"This is painful. We are not equal. They are destroying our stalls and it is raining. They told us to buy umbrellas," a sobbing Ntswapong said.
He said when it is raining, they would not be able to operate. "But your stomach would still demand food even on the day that you were not working. We are at the mercy of the government. We don't know why the government is fighting against us," he said.
Ntswapong said he has been operating at the mall for a number of years and his business was his only source of livelihood.
He used to work as a builder but left the job due to ill health. "I started to sell vegetables so that I could earn a living".
Ntswapong said they once appealed to the Minister of Local Government, Margaret Nasha to come to their rescue but she has not responded. He believes that she has rejected their pleas as they are being raided.
Another vegetable vendor, Taelo Tshukudu, was trying to put her things in order after the demolition squad had dismantled her stall. Tshukudu, a mother of six, said she feeds her family through this business. "I pay for transport and school fees for my children. My whole life depends on this small business," she said.
he said initially their stalls were made up of iron sheets but they were told to remove them. The wooden structures have also been destroyed.
A barber, Daniel Watch, said they were not warned about the raid. He said the council officials just came and dismantled his stall. He is now operating under the scorching heat. Watch said the council officials have told them to buy tents like the ones that are used for car shades.
He complained of harassment at the hands of council officials. He said the council should have given them notice. For him, the raid just came at the wrong time when Christmas is approaching.
Watch has been operating at the Gaborone West mall since 1992. This is the only job that he has done in his life and it was putting food on the table for him.
Watch's customer said it is clear that the council intends to evict the barbers. He said the country is now under military rule.
Another barber, Mosa Motebele was also counting his losses. He said they once proposed to the city council to build structures that they could rent. He added that the council promised to assist them but nothing was done.
Motebele, who has never had another job in his life, has been depending on his business. He uses the money from the business to pay rent and children's school fees.
He has been working as a barber since 1994. Motebele said the council workers who were demolishing their stalls were not willing to listen. "When you wanted to plead with them, they threatened to beat you up. They did not want to listen. We told them to do their job," he said.
A cobbler who had stacked shoes in a large steel container was also raided. The council officials ordered him to take the shoes out so that they could take the container to the dumping site.
He complained about harassment at the hands of council employees.
The Gaborone city clerk said she was off duty. "I can't talk to you, if you want to talk to me, phone me during working hours," she said before banging the phone on the receiver.
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