The Department of Agriculture will closely monitor the Tshwane Municipality’s compliance with a court order on maintaining the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market, says agriculture minister John Steenhuisen.
By Carien Kruger, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
All eyes are on the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market after years of delays in its maintenance. This is after the Pretoria High Court on Monday found the City of Tshwane in contempt of court for failing to comply with an earlier order to maintain the market.
In response, agriculture minister John Steenhuisen said the Department of Agriculture would closely monitor the city’s compliance with the court’s ruling forcing the city to implement upgrades agreed to in 2022. On Monday, the court gave the city 30 days to provide a plan to improve municipal services at the market and explain how the budget allocation for upgrades was spent.
The judgement in the case brought by the Institute of Market Agents of SA (IMASA) <http://www.imasa.africa/home/>was a stark reminder that fresh produce markets must be managed in line with legislation and in the public interest, Steenhuisen said.
“The markets in Johannesburg, Durban and Tshwane are not only municipal assets but also strategic pillars of South Africa’s agricultural economy, vital for transparent pricing, reliable market access, and the livelihoods of thousands of producers and traders.”
Steenhuisen said the Department of Agriculture will closely monitor municipal compliance to ensure that deficiencies were addressed without delay. He has also written to Parks Tau, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated action to restore these facilities to full operational capacity.
He reiterated his support for public-private partnerships “as a practical and proven way to attract investment, modernise infrastructure and bring industry expertise into our market system”. With collaboration between municipalities, other national departments and private sector partners, he said, these key trading hubs could be revitalised, jobs protected and food security safeguarded.
What the Judge Ordered Tshwane to Do Within 30 Days
IMASA said in a media statement on Wednesday that it had brought the contempt of court application against Tshwane due to dissatisfaction with the municipality and its legal representatives’ failure to respond to issues previously highlighted in correspondence regarding acting judge Shereen Meersingh’s court order.
Meersingh had directed Tshwane to submit a precinct plan addressing occupational health and safety, and to allocate R18 million to proper maintenance of the market.
Judge Mmonoa Teffo has now instructed the metro authority, its municipal manager and/or its executive mayor to provide IMASA with a draft or final precinct plan within 30 days, along with a risk assessment and a restoration plan for the market, as stipulated in Meersingh’s court order.
She also directed that the city, together with its municipal manager and/or executive mayor, submit an affidavit within 30 days detailing the implementation of the approved precinct plan. It must cover repairs and compliance with standards for fire and smoke detection, electricity connections, amenities, safety, lifts and lifting appliances, sanitation and refuse collection.
She also instructed the city to submit an affidavit within 30 days outlining the distribution and use of its R18 million capital and operating budget for the 2022 financial year.
• IMASA is a non-profit organisation that acts as the voice of market agents in South Africa.
