NEWS RELEASE                                                                                             23 January 2002 

GOOD PROSPECTS FOR PRINCE GEORGE DRIVE FISHMONGERS MARKET AS SALES IMPROVE

Despite teething problems, sales at the Prince George Drive Fishmongers Market have picked up nicely and the fish traders are optimistic that the economic development project will be a success.

The City of Cape Town and the Fishmongers Association are working together to overcome initial problems and to ensure that economic opportunities from fishing are maximised.

Sales at the market picked up dramatically during the holiday season and the fishmongers reported selling all the fish they could catch.

Fishing and the sea runs through the veins of Cape Flats communities and the Council is proceeding with plans for another market in Klipfontein Road, Athlone.

Initially, fishmongers at Prince George Drive were disappointed when sales dropped off due to the site being formalised and moved a small distance off the main road, but the community has rallied to their support and both the Council and the fishmongers believe that most of the early problems have been resolved.

“The fishmongers are much happier now,” said the City of Cape Town’s Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Tourism and Property Management, Councillor Kent Morkel. “We are working together to make the most of this economic opportunity and we are both feeling positive about the prospects for the future,” he said.

Councillor Morkel said it was Council policy to regulate informal trading by allocating specific sites to traders at the market. “Unfortunately, when the revamped fishmongers market was opened a short distance from the main road, other informal traders took their place at the roadside which caused a slump in sales at the market. This practice is no longer allowed and sales at the market have improved accordingly,” he said.

Dave Gretton, Director of Economic Development for the Council (South Peninsula Administration), said the Fishmongers Market had initially been cut off by the new road works on Prince George Drive, but he said trading had improved significantly and the Council would do all it could to give assistance.

“It’s been a learning process for all of us but we are working together to put right the problems of the past,” he said.

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