City of Joburg defends clean-up drive as court battle heats up

The City of Johannesburg says it needs more time to prepare its case in response to an urgent application filed by informal traders at the Johannesburg High Court on Tuesday.

The traders are challenging the City’s ongoing by-law enforcement operations in the inner city, which have led to the eviction of many vendors from their trading spots over alleged non-compliance.

Tensions were high at the Johannesburg High Court as informal traders and community members packed the courtroom to voice their opposition to the City’s crackdown on street trading.

While the City argues that the enforcement drive is necessary to restore order and combat urban decay, many traders say the clean-up campaign has been unjust — robbing them of their livelihoods.

The City maintains that trading must occur within a regulated framework to prevent lawlessness and illegal operations in the CBD.

The matter has been postponed to next Tuesday to allow the City’s legal team to review the case.

However, Deborah Rabadu, from the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) and representing the traders, says more than 800 traders have been affected by the operations.

Meanwhile, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, has defended the city’s clean-up, calling it part of a broader initiative to reclaim public spaces.

He cited the recent planting of trees along sidewalks once occupied by popular thrift stalls as an example of the City’s urban renewal efforts.

The City’s MMC for Economic Development, Nomoya Mnisi, also emphasised that the operations are aimed at restoring order and ensuring compliance among all traders.

Mnisi said while the City welcomes the court’s decision to postpone the case, it remains confident it will prevail.

Last week, during a by-law enforcement blitz on De Villiers Street, Mayor Morero told YNews that some stalls were dismantled after local permit holders were found to be renting them out to undocumented foreign nationals.

However, Rabadu on Tuesday dismissed those claims, describing them as a scapegoat tactic to justify the displacement of informal traders.

Meanwhile, Mayor Morero led another by-law enforcement operation on Tuesday in Wynberg, continuing the City’s clampdown on unregulated trading.

Hai hai, this lawlessness can’t persist. We’re working to restore order in Alexandra and Wynberg through a multi-agency operation targeting compliance issues and infrastructure as part of the city’s cleanup initiative. pic.twitter.com/xjSr4wEpBc

— Executive Mayor of the City Of Joburg (@DadaMorero) October 21, 2025

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe