The State and local authorities do not seem to be weakening in their intentions to clear out the street vendors. After Colobane and other neighbourhoods clogged with unregulated commercial activities, the authorities yesterday invaded the Sandaga market, the heart of Dakar’s informal sector, to remove the street vendors and hawkers who anarchically occupy the sidewalk.

The informal sector angry over street vendor evictions

Faced with this decision, vendors reacted energetically. They organized a demonstration yesterday at the Sandaga roundabout to express their opposition to the measure. Obviously, the demonstration degenerated into violent clashes with the Security Forces. Between stone throwing and the use of tear gas, the atmosphere became unbreathable in downtown Dakar at one point. They also had to confront security agents from the Dakar-Plateau town hall, who allegedly ransacked their goods. For a while, the stones adorned certain streets of the city, notably Sandaga roundabout, Ponty, Gambetta.

Yesterday afternoon, calm returned. And the street vendors resumed their activities without being worried by municipal agents. Until when?