JEDDAH — Citizens are upset with illegal street sellers near Makkah Gate because they are ruining the area, Al-Madina reported. Resident Mansour Al-Shihry said the Passports Department (Jawazat) should conduct more frequent inspection campaigns. He said: “There are a lot of illegal expatriates by Makkah Gate. “They are violating multiple labor and health and safety regulations and no one is holding them accountable. “Makkah Gate is a tourist area and this chaos by street sellers is sabotaging the area and polluting its scenery.” Younis Al-Thaqafi said there are street sellers selling meat and exposing it to the sun. He said: “You can see flies hovering over the meat and people still buy from them, completely ignoring the potential health implications. “The sellers don't seem to care one bit and they are not afraid of the municipality coming to issue violations against them. “They are obviously violating health and safety regulations.” M. A., a street seller, said there are about nine different butcheries by Makkah Gate. He said: “Street sellers selling meat and poultry don't care about the flies hovering above the meat. “The bacteria will die once the meat is cooked anyways. “People still buy meat from us even though they can opt not to if they think it is not safe.” Umm Abdullah, a street seller, said she sells African fruits that are imported from Africa and cannot be found in Makkah. She said: “I am an African woman and I have been selling by Makkah Gate for the past four years. “There is an African man that comes to me and my friends and supplies us with these fruits. “We sell them and he comes at the end of the day to take some of the profit.” Resident Ahmad Maadi said people can find cheap merchandise from these street sellers. He said: “I enjoy buying tropical and exotic fruits they sell from Africa. “However, many of them park their carts in the middle of the road, obstructing traffic.” Fellow resident Nasser Al-Jihani said he enjoys strolling in the midst of the crowded areas where street sellers sell everything cheap from food to accessories to clothes. “Ramadan is on the way and the strategic role of Makkah Gate that balances between religion and culture is keeping the area busy. “The life in the area remind people of the historic locations such as Al-Shafie Mosque and Bait Naseef.”
