Business owners at the historic and popular retail Marabastad Fruit & Veg market were left devastated, after the ANC-led City of Tshwane, headed by Mayor, Nasiphi Moya, ordered the market’s closure last Friday (July 25), just as many stallholders were preparing to go for the Friday midday prayers at around 12pm.
According to the Mayor, the businesses operating at the market, which property is owned by the Tshwane Council, did not have valid leases and the tenants were thus illegally sub-letting from the main lease holder. This despite that historically, members from the Indian race group who were displaced by the apartheid regime from their businesses trading in White areas, were forcibly moved to the market in Marabastad, where they have since been trading for many decades. Furthermore, the Mayor alleged that the tenants did not conform to the by-laws, concerning health compliance certificates, properly placed fire extinguishers and other necessary paperwork required to legally run the market.
When the Laudium Sun visited the market during the weekend and on Tuesday the market was closed, thus the stallholders were not available for comment. However we managed to talk to shopkeepers, trading near the market area, who said…
Viresh Gopal, a business owner from Monty’s Discount Liquor near the Marabastad Market, told the Laudium Sun, “It was truly a very sad day for one of the oldest markets in the city—Marabastad Fruit & Veg—when the City of Tshwane shut it down on Friday. This market has been operating since we were kids and we’ve never seen it closed before, only during Covid time. It’s the first time we’re witnessing something like this. It’s completely unacceptable, especially considering the historical significance of this market. There are many vendors operating outside the market without any compliance certificates or legal business status, yet the Mayor didn’t target them. Instead, she suddenly arrived at Marabastad Fruit & Veg and claimed that they didn’t have the required certificates, without
warning or a court order, then closed them down. Frankly, it feels like a racial attack, targeting Indian-owned businesses. I believe this is politically motivated. That’s why, as a community, Indians must unite and stand against this kind of unacceptable behaviour from the City of Tshwane, which is practising apartheid in reverse. We are part of a rainbow nation. Everyone is supposed to have the right to operate a business, as long as they comply with the law. I hope this situation improves and the Marabastad Fruit & Veg market re opens soon.”
Riyaz Ahmed from Riyaz Motor Trimmers, near the Marabastad Market, told the Laudium Sun, “I honestly don’t have words for what happened with the closure of Marabastad Fruit & Veg. On Friday, the Mayor just showed up with her team from the Council and shut the market down. I really feel for the business owners who operate there. Many of them have families to support and now that their businesses are closed, how are they supposed to survive? There was no warning. If we speak out about it, we’re accused of being racist. But the truth is, it feels like we, as Indians in this country, have become voiceless. There was a time when Marabastad was filled with Indian business owners and we had proper rules, strong leadership, and a united community. Back then, no corrupt politician or official could just walk in and shut us down without consequences. Our elders were strong and stood for what was right. They protested and defended our businesses with courage. But that Marabastad is gone. The fearless Indian community we once had is fading. Today’s generation often stays silent and it feels like we’ve already lost so much, our identity, our voice, and our place in this society. To me, this closure feels completely politically motivated—just a move to benefit certain pockets, not people. No one seems to care about the Indian community any longer, not even our leadership and that’s very painful.”
Virendra Hira from Hira & Sons Supermarket near the Marabastad Market, told the Laudium Sun, “It’s really sad to see the closure of the Fruit & Veg retail market. This place has been operating for generations and I was shocked when I saw the Tshwane Council, led by the Mayor, shutting it down. This is totally unacceptable. Technically, our business has also been affected by the closure, because many customers who shop at the market also buy from us. So it’s not just a loss for those trading at the market, its a major loss for the entire Marabastad business community. I truly hope the market re-opens as soon as possible.”
Raees Sikandar, a business owner from Sikandar Cell Shop opposite the Marabastad retail market, told the Laudium Sun, “The closure of the market was honestly very painful to witness. I believe this is politically motivated, as many of those trading there are from Laudium and what’s even more disappointing is that our ANC Councillor from Laudium has remained silent on the matter. We all need to speak up and have our voices heard in the ANC-led Council, so that the market can re-open as soon as possible. This is not just a loss for the Fruit & Veg vendors, it’s affecting all of us. Many workers and customers from that market used to shop at our stores too.”
A number of Indian traders operating in the Boom, Potgieter, Blood and Schubart Street block, who were also leasing premises from the Tshwane Council, complained bitterly about the illegal eviction and destruction of their businesses, after their premises were destroyed by officials from the Council last week. This, despite a number of tenants saying that they had showed proof to the officials, that their rental payment was up to date. Some tenants said that they abandoned their leased properties as the Council refused to repair the buildings, but kept increasing rentals and hindering their tenants, even though they had permission to sub-let.
COMMUNITY ERUPTS OVER MARABASTAD MARKET SHUTDOWN: “OUR HERITAGE IS NOT FOR SALE”
by: Lushika Mooloo of the Concerned Community Forum (CCF)
On 30 July 2025, the Concerned Community Forum (CCF) addressed a strongly worded letter to Tshwane Mayor Nasipha Moya, condemning her unilateral and unjustifiable closure of the Marabastad Market.
In the letter, the CCF demanded that the Mayor immediately reverse this despicable act and take urgent steps to restore the market to full operational status. The Forum emphasized that the Marabastad Market is not merely a trading space — it is a living legacy of the Indian community’s historical, cultural, and economic contribution to Tshwane.
The CCF made it clear that this heritage must be protected and respected, not erased, which is a historic trading site in the area known to many locals as Asiatic Bazaar. Calls are now being made for the ANC Councillors, who are in the majority in the Tshwane Council and who voted for Nasipha to be the Mayor, to sanction her and to ensure that the market is re-opened immediately and that the dignity of all the legally owned stall holders, is restored. In a public statement made on 26 July 2025, Mayor Moya of ActionSA, falsely claimed the market had been “hijacked” and declared that the city had “reclaimed it.” However, this has been firmly refuted by DA Councillor Novina Pillay and senior City officials—sparking allegations of misinformation, unlawful governance, and disregard for one of South Africa’s oldest Indian trading communities.
LEGAL LEASES IGNORED – “THIS WAS NOT A HIJACKING”
Backing up these claims, Moses Letsoalo, Deputy Head of the City’s Produce Market, admitted that the Mayor’s office did not consult his department before acting:
“The lease agreements are in place and are still valid. The Mayor’s office didn’t get information from us to understand what agreements are in place.” This is confirmed by Councillor Pillay. These tenants—many of whom have traded in the Marabastad Market for decades—were evicted without warning, explanation, or adherence to due process. Residents and civic leaders now accuse the Mayor of spreading misinformation. “No Council resolution has been published. No public consultation was done. The public is unaware of any process being followed—unless the Mayor can prove otherwise,” said Lushika Mooloo for the Concerned Community Forum (CCF).
SACRED GROUND: “SHE IGNORED OUR SPIRITUAL HERITAGE”
The market precinct is more than a trading space—it forms the heart of a sacred and historic community. Two religious landmarks still stand beside the market today:
- The Mariamman Temple, established in 1905, is the oldest Hindu temple in Pretoria and a key cultural centre for the Tamil community.
- Masjid-ur-Rahman, believed to have been established around 1929, remains an active Mosque and one of the oldest in the Tshwane region.
- “These are not just places of worship. They are spiritual pillars around which our families built their lives,” said a third-generation trader, who was locked out of his shop.
- The CCF argues that the Mayor’s actions not only violate administrative law but desecrate the interwoven religious, cultural, and historical fabric of the Indian community in Marabastad.
SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT: “WE WERE TARGETED FOR FOLLOWING THE RULES”
Equally disturbing is the selective enforcement highlighted by residents. While legal tenants were evicted, illegal street vendors—many without trading permits or health certificates—continue operating freely outside the market.
“Legal tenants were illegally shut down while illegal foreign nationals continue trading on sidewalks,” said one displaced vendor. Civic leaders say this reflects racial and economic discrimination, targeting historically marginalised communities who’ve followed the law.
COMMUNITY DEMANDS JUSTICE
In a formal letter sent to the Mayor on 30 July, the Concerned Community Forum issued a
five-point demand:
- Immediate reinstatement of all legal tenants
- A public apology for the “false hijacking
narrative” - Disclosure of the legal basis for the eviction
- A full investigation into procedural failures
- Recognition of the Marabastad Market as a protected cultural and heritage site Failure to act, the letter warns, will result in legal action, formal complaints to the Human Rights Commission and Heritage Council, and mass community mobilisation.
“OUR GRANDPARENTS BUILT THIS – YOU WILL NOT ERASE US”
Residents across Laudium, Erasmia, and broader Tshwane have described the market shutdown as a betrayal of their post-apartheid hopes. “Our grandparents were forced out of the CBD under the Group Areas Act. They built this market from nothing. To shut it down now—without truth, process, or respect—is to repeat the sins of the past,” one resident said through tears.” The Marabastad “fondly known as the Asiatic Bazaar” …. does this not speak for itself??
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES
As the dust settles over locked stalls and shuttered gates, one thing is certain: this community is not giving up. “We will not stand by in silence,” the CCF said in closing. “This market is not your property. It is our legacy,” said Dawood Ballim from the CCF. “Councillor Prajay Ramjee visited the Marabastad stallholders on Monday morning to personally offer his support and solidarity. He engaged directly with affected traders, listened to their concerns, and committed to assisting them in any way possible. Councillor Ramjee confirmed that, based on the information he has gathered, he will be making the necessary inquiries with the relevant authorities to seek clarity and ensure that the rights of the stallholders are protected”
“Councilor Novina Pillay confirmed that the Democratic Alliance (DA) recently engaged with Marabastad Market traders and verified that all 49 stallholders hold valid lease agreements with the City of Tshwane. Despite this, the Mayor shut down the market without prior notice, locking traders out with perishable goods still inside. This action shows a shocking disregard for long-standing, lawful tenants — many of whom have traded there for over 55 years.
The Marabastad Market is a vital part of the Indian community’s heritage and a symbol of cultural and economic resilience. The DA stands firmly with the traders and remains committed to fighting for justice, accountability, and the protection of their rights”
The Concerned Community Forum stands firm: Our heritage must be honoured.
*The DA brought an urgent motion in Council on Thursday (yesterday) against the closure of the market. However, the ANC, ActionSA and the EFF did not support the motion, with Cllr Patel from the ANC not attending the meeting.