A RECENT oversight visit of eThekwini Municipality’s Informal Economy Forum (EMIEF) has revealed the desperate plight of the informal economy in the city.
According to DA Durban Central Chairperson Chris Pappas, a number of markets and trading facilities were visited including the mielie cookers market, the bovine head market, Isipingo, Beachfront, Verulam market, Pinetown and the KwaMashu Station market.
He said the visits also revealed a number of challenges facing the thousands of people who rely on informal trading to put bread on the table. Traders cited a number of issues including the fact that the majority of trading facilities are without proper toilet facilities or running water, which forces the traders to work in unhygienic conditions without anywhere to relieve themselves. Facilities close at inconvenient times forcing traders to leave their goods on the streets as there are inadequate storage facilities forcing elderly traders to have to push heavy trolleys around the city looking for safe storage sites. The also complained that trading facilities are dilapidated and unmaintained and permits are not being issued.
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“In addition to this, concerns have also been raised about the number of construction projects that have been started and subsequently stopped due to the failure of contractors to meet their obligations or by a failure of the city administration to manage projects effectively. Traders are being forced to work under terrible conditions,” said Pappas.
He said eThekwini currently has more than 197 000 people employed in the informal sector with each person supporting another three people on average. “Considering the continued decline in the state of the economy with more people slipping into poverty, there is no doubt that more needs to be done to support, regulate and develop the informal economy,” he said.
In response, eThekwini Spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela, said the municipality had recently advertised various trading sites throughout the municipal area offering an opportunity to deserving entrepreneurs to apply for affordable business premises. The advert closed on 2 November and allocation and issuing of permits will follow.
“EThekwini Municipality understands the importance of the informal economy sector in unlocking jobs and growing our economy and has invested R70 million for provision of facilities this financial year alone,” said Mayisela.
He explained that the city had recently completed the construction of trader shelters in Pinetown and Durban CBD, built a AutoHub for motor mechanics in uMlazi, fully fitted lower Illovo motor mechanics facilities with spray painting booths, a cardboard recycling centre for informal trades is near completion in the Durban CBD, storage facilities in Verulam have been built and is rolling out new stores in various community residential units (hostels) which all have toilets, water, electricity, cleaning, security and refuse removal.
Mayisela said some of the major capital projects which budget has been made available for in the next two years include work at the Bovine Head Market, traders storage, the Herb Sellers’ Market, Dalton Hostel business properties, Fragrance Street Market, Bangladesh Market, English Market upgrade. Mayisela said the projects aim to provide conducive trading space for informal traders.
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