An informal traders' association is urging its members to only buy stock from registered retailers as a way to prevent food-borne illnesses.

Speaking at a meeting of informal traders at the Thusong Centre in Khayelitsha on Wednesday November 20, United Khula Informal Traders’ Association (Ukita) chairperson Thozama Gwente condemned traders who sold expired food to the public.

This follows a nationwide crackdown on spaza shops in response to food-poisoning incidents that have claimed the lives of several children across the country (“Anger over dumped expired food,” Vukani, November 21).

Ms Gwente said the deaths had shaken the public's confidence in informal traders.

“This is heartbreaking. It is affecting every business now because of few individuals. The government needs to really act on them."

However, Ms Gwente said the government also needed to do more to support informal traders by providing them with secure, sheltered areas with ablution facilities and other services for them to run their businesses.

“Our people are trading at the taxi ranks, pavements, train stations, on open fields and at schools. They are in the open. We would love to have shelters and ablution in some of the areas like the train stations. Remember, for some time, there were no trains and the toilets were vandalised. It would be good if they can be renovated again,” she said.

Ms Gwente said the meeting was also a chance to provide traders with information on a range of issues, including by-laws, keeping their trading spots clean and investing their money.

Philiswa Magopheni, a trader at the Site C taxi rank, said entrepreneurs should have investment plans so they could leave a living legacy for their children.

”I came here thinking, yes, we have money, but what are we doing with it?” she said.

Ms Magopheni urged the traders to set their own goals without competing with others but to be the best version of themselves.

Thozama Gwente and Somila Magqaza in high spirits at the informal traders imbizo last week.

The Thando choir from Makhaza performed at the meeting.

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Traders’ group condemns those selling expired food