Township streets are never completely quiet; between the laughter of children and the sound of passing taxis, there is another familiar township rhythm — the sharp tweet of a whistle, followed by a trolley piled high with neatly packed vegetables and fruits sold for R5.
For many township residents, that whistle signals convenience — food brought straight to their doorstep. But for traders such as Paulos Vilakhovu, who came to South Africa from Maputo, it represents survival and independence.
“I am my own worker; I do not have a boss. Going from street to street is easier for customers. You bring the vegetables and fruits to the people instead of waiting for them to come to you,” said Vilakhovu, proudly standing next to his trolley loaded with R5 packets of spinach, tomatoes and apples.
He starts work at about 1pm, moving from one neighbourhood to another until sunset, except on Sundays when he begins at 8am. “People cook early on Sundays before going to church. They like several colours on their plates,” said Vilakhovu.
But behind the convenience lies hardship.
Vilakhovu told TimesLIVE street trading can be dangerous. “We get robbed at times. It is difficult for us. Operation Dudula also takes our trolleys with everything inside. When you see them, you run and hide.”
He hides his money carefully while working and takes it home once it reaches a certain amount. “We cannot carry a lot of cash. If they rob you, you lose everything.”
Even the weather is an obstacle. “I have an umbrella to cover my stock from the sun, but it is not strong enough for rain or wind. When it rains, I try to find shelter for my vegetables; even if I myself get wet, I do not want my stock to get ruined,” said Vilakhovu.
Every week he travels to the Johannesburg market to restock.
He pays R600 rent for his accommodation and R300 to store his trolley overnight.
Not far away in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni, Reddy Chidavaenzi pushes his own trolley through the streets, his whistle known by every child in the area. “I use the whistle so people recognise me instead of shouting. Even children know it’s me when they hear it,” Chidavaenzi told TimesLIVE.
Their vegetables are fresh and cheap, Imagine getting potatoes for R5 — it makes a difference. Families can eat from that and it’s convenient because they come to us
— Thandeka Mngomezulu, customer
He sells R5 packets of bananas and oranges, but, unlike Vilakhovu, he works for someone else. “I get paid R700 a month, and parents trust us; they send children to buy from us.
“Sometimes you just need onions for cooking, and you cannot go to the market for that,” said Chidavaenzi.
For customers such as Thandeka Mngomezulu, who stopped the whistleblower to buy R5 potatoes and chillies during the visit by TimesLIVE, the service makes life easier.
“Their vegetables are fresh and cheap,” said Mngomezulu. “Imagine getting potatoes for R5 — it makes a difference. Families can eat from that, and it’s convenient because they come to us.”
She said the sound of the whistle has become part of her daily life. “When you hear it, you immediately think about what you need.”
In the heart of the township, the Ma’R5 sellers operate like clockwork: whistle, stop, trade, and move again. They are a welcome sight to those in the homes they pass every day.
TimesLIVE
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