Five families, who have made a makeshift mini market in Vishnu Deo Road, Nausori, have been told to move away from the place by Monday.

Nasinu and Nausori Town Council chief executive officer Anurashika Bari said the vendors had been given places in the Nausori Market.

She said they have been told to sell from Nausori until the mini market in Nakasi is ready.

The vendors from Wainibuku moved there after illegal structures as theirs had been removed a few months ago.

The vendors’ spokesperson Mere Balekurua said it was not viable for the vendors to go to Nausori and they had received flak from established vendors in Nausori.

“The transportation cost to Nausori Market is far greater and we are unable to sell as much in Nausori. We spend more than we make if we move to Nausori,” she said.

“Secondly, at this spot we are not disrupting traffic, we take all our rubbish home, the Police Station and a supermarket lets us use the toilet facilities and a household nearby gives us access to water.”

Ms Balekurua said the vendors were told if they were found to be selling at the spot-on Monday, all their items would be confiscated and they would be liable to pay the cost of clearance.

Ms Bari said illegal vendors had always been an issue for the municipality as the makeshift markets posed health and safety risks.

She said work had started on the Nakasi mini-market and they would like to have co-operation from the vendors so things could be done according to the law.