The Ecumenical Service for Socioeconomic Transformation (ESSET) is this week (20-25 May 2012) holding Consultations with informal traders in Swaziland and Lesotho respectively. The aim of the consultation is to reflect together on ways that would strengthen the voice of informal traders in the region. This is part of ongoing processes with traders who are members of the SADC Network of Traders that was established in May 2011. The Network consists of traders from South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. It brings together in-country informal traders and cross-border traders with the aim to fight their struggles with a united voice.
The consultation process amongst others will involve public meetings, focus group discussions and reflective meetings in different townships and locations with traders locally. A critical part of the reflections with traders will be collective analysis of their external and internal context impeding on their ability to trade in the SADC region. An action learning approach will be used based on the real everyday challenges faced by informal traders.
The process is aimed at serving the interests of traders who suffer daily injustices at the hands of their respective governments. It holds the possibility of the emergence of a coherent political agenda of the SADC Network of Informal Traders that is grounded on the concrete experiences of traders; and will eventually inform their collective actions to bring about change in their world. It is further expected that it will generate valuable information that the traders will use to influence their own environment. Moreover, it is anticipated that the information from this process will dispel the myth that traders are not contributing to the economies of the SADC region, whilst at the same time affirming their role.
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