Chaos in Commercial Activities in Had Soualem: The Municipal Council in the Dock
Despite the campaigns led by local authorities in the municipality of Had Soualem over the past three months aimed at clearing public property from cafés and some commercial establishments, these operations have revealed a clear selectivity, as many shops conducting commercial and industrial activities in residential areas have been overlooked, all while lacking any legal permits.
According to sources on the ground, these shops encompass various activities, from selling groceries and vegetables to barber shops and furniture manufacturing, all operating in the heart of residential neighborhoods without complying with basic regulatory requirements.
What is even more alarming is that several shop owners openly admit to running their businesses outside the law, justifying this with a dangerous popular saying: “When it is widespread, it becomes acceptable.” This reflects a state of disorder that has become socially tolerated due to the absence of strict oversight and blatant leniency from the area commander and the district chief.
This situation exposes the passivity of the municipal council, which has failed to establish an administrative police capable of monitoring activities and enforcing penalties, resulting in the municipality of Had Soualem drowning in chaos and depriving the state treasury of significant tax revenues that could have funded development projects for the local population.
Given this scenario, a central question arises urgently: Has the municipal council and local authority failed to enforce the law, or is there a deliberate conspiracy to protect certain interests?
Intervention by the governor of the Brachid province remains a pressing demand to halt this disorder, which has turned Had Soualem into an open space for chaos and impunity.