The City of Johannesburg has authorized 161 informal vendors to resume operations in central business district locations after a court mandate required municipal officials to process applications from more than 500 street sellers. The Gauteng High Court directed the city to complete registration and allocate trading spaces within two weeks following legal action by the Socio-Economic Rights Institute, which challenged vendor removals under Operation Shanela. Mayor Dada Morero confirmed that 44 traders received smart cards enabling legal commerce, with remaining permits scheduled for distribution and stall assignments beginning immediately.
The judicial intervention came after complaints that enforcement actions had violated administrative fairness and economic rights by displacing hundreds of vendors who either operated outside designated zones or lacked proper documentation. Qualifying applicants needed to provide identification, previous permits, or photographic evidence of their trading locations. Municipal authorities have committed to processing all eligible cases among those initially affected, with the registration serving as part of broader efforts to formalize street commerce while maintaining urban order ahead of infrastructure improvements.
The judicial intervention came after complaints that enforcement actions had violated administrative fairness and economic rights by displacing hundreds of vendors who either operated outside designated zones or lacked proper documentation. Qualifying applicants needed to provide identification, previous permits, or photographic evidence of their trading locations. Municipal authorities have committed to processing all eligible cases among those initially affected, with the registration serving as part of broader efforts to formalize street commerce while maintaining urban order ahead of infrastructure improvements.
