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Residents, counsellors and political parties gather at Johannesburg High Court regarding the City’s implementation of trading policy by-laws, 31 October 2025.
The legal battle between the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI) and the City of Johannesburg (COJ)is set to continue in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
The matter relates to the removal of unregistered informal traders from parts of the city centre.
The parties met at the court on Friday but failed to reach an agreement resulting in the matter being postponed.
The city started removing informal traders who it says are operating illegally and in areas not designated for trading.
WATCH: Joburg Mayor faces off with SERI in court dispute.
The City has raised concerns about unregulated trading activities that have contributed to escalating lawlessness, urban decay, and further strain on already compromised infrastructure in the Inner City. The City remains… pic.twitter.com/5ugo7wLrlr
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) October 31, 2025
However, traders have accused the city of violating their rights to earn a decent living.
Johannesburg Mayor Dara Morero says Home Affairs needs to verify informal traders before they can be allocated new operating spaces.
Morero says the city has proposed and made a commitment to go through a verification process because it is crucial to confirm that, indeed whoever is claiming to have been trading, needs to be confirmed whether they are eligible and a South African citizen.
“If it’s an asylum seeker, does the law allow him to be at that space? That process was supposed to then start with immediate effect. But unfortunately, we haven’t reached an agreement. It has been put on hold, until we meet again in court,” says Morero
Related video | Removal of informal traders was lawful: Joburg City:
