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Senegal vendors riot over ban
21/11/2007 20:06 - (SA)
Dakar - Hundreds of street hawkers have rioted in the Senegalese capital over a recent government drive to clear the streets of informal traders.
The angry traders used old tyres, plastic trash containers and wooden stalls to light fires on Wednesday along Dakar's busy downtown Plateau central business district.
Movement of traffic on the usually jammed roads around the giant Sandaga market ground to a standstill.
Groups of anti-riot police stepped in, firing tearsmoke to clear the streets of protestors.
At least 15 demonstrators were arrested and several cars were damaged, according to AFP reporters.
Police on Thursday last week started evicting thousands of street vendors who had set up shop on pavements across the city, three days after President Abdoulaye Wade sought an end to the hawking anarchy reigning in Dakar.
Wade, who hosts a major summit of Islamic nations in March next year, said uncontrolled street vending had cost the country about R1.25bn due to traffic jams that were putting off investors.
Dakar will in March host the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit and has carried out a major facelift. New hotels, conference rooms, bridges and roads are under construction.
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