Maseru, Feb.12- The Maseru City Council (MCC) has encouraged informal traders to follow proper procedures when applying for space to operate within Maseru.
Speaking in an interview, MCC Spokesperson Ms. Lintle Bless said informal traders seeking operating space should first approach the MCC to obtain proof of registration as traders. She explained that the proof is then submitted to the Markets’ Office located at Pitso Ground.
Ms. Bless said the Markets’ Office links applicants with the informal traders’ committee, which informs them when space becomes available. She noted that allocated spaces are paid for, with fees varying according to location.
She added that the MCC strives to identify safe working areas for informal traders and, where possible, erects business structures to improve their operating conditions.
However, Ms. Bless indicated that despite ongoing awareness campaigns on the importance of compliance, some traders continue to operate without following proper procedures. She said the high unemployment rate has made it difficult to deter non-compliant traders, even though confiscation of goods.
She stressed that failure to comply negatively affects revenue collection, which in turn impacts the council’s daily operations and efforts to develop the city.
Meanwhile, several informal traders continue to operate in open spaces without shelter, leaving them exposed to harsh weather conditions as safe and adequate working space remains limited. Among them are traders who pay the required fees and those who do not.
The President of the Lesotho Federation of Informal Traders Association, Mr. Ts’olo Lebitsa, said secure working conditions can only be achieved through collaboration between traders and the MCC. He emphasised that unity among traders is key to improving their working environment.
Mr. Lebitsa further stated that traders are willing to pay for services provided, but warned that removing traders from the streets and confiscating their goods is not a solution to the country’s unemployment challenges. He said relocation should only occur when secure and suitable working spaces have been made available.
Reports indicate that although informal trading provides crucial employment — estimated at between 20 and 75 percent in Africa — the sector often faces challenges such as overcrowding, inadequate workspace and low productivity.
There have been calls for countries to strengthen the informal sector by improving working conditions and providing secure workspaces so that it becomes an engine of economic growth rather than merely a means of survival.
Ends/SM/BM
