SADC Informal Traders Campaign Update – 21/11/2011
Report by Tsolo Lebitsa (Lesotho)
A committee of informal traders in Lesotho led by a trader association called Khathang Tema Baitsukuli and partnered by Lesotho Council of Churches yesterday (16/11/2011) held a rally with their councillors and the Market Master in Mafeteng. In Lesotho, the Market Master is the one responsible for the allocation of stalls for informal traders at the market place whilst the councillors are strategic for engagements about development and sites allocation. During the rally the councillors agreed with the informal traders that the current market in Mafeteng which was since built in 1969 and can only accommodate 100 traders need to be expanded and refurbished. At the event, the traders committee was also able to distribute questionnaires to more than 50 traders who were in attendance. Amongst others the questionnaire touches on issues of policy and regulation of the informal traders locally as well as treatment of cross-border traders. The rally formed part of the activities undertaken by informal traders during the SADC Informal Traders Campaign to highlight their marginalisation and exclusion from partaking in the economy of their country. The informal traders who attended the rally came from Mafeteng and other neighbouring areas such as Tetenara, Thabaneng, Matholeng, Matseke and Motsekuoa.
Report by Sipho Thwala (Orange Farm, South Africa)
As part of the SADC Informal Traders Campaign, aimed at putting an end to sexual and economic violence on informal traders, the campaign co-ordinating team in South Africa last week visited the traders at Orange Farm Stretford station upon hearing that there will be a march against them. According to the two elderly informal traders who have been trading at the station for years the councillor, landlord of the land at the station as well as other government stakeholders have mobilised the community to march against them. This they believe is an attempt to make them move out from the station and make way for the development of the mall. The two elderly women explained that they feared for their lives because they are the one having an agreement which makes provision for them to continue trading at the station even when the mall is built. The campaign co-ordinating team, ESSET officials and representatives from Orange Farm Fraternal paid traders at the station a visit a day before the march and also wrote a letter to the councillor in the area about the concerns of the traders as well as seeking police protection for traders. The march never materialised and the traders at the station are continuing to trade with no disturbance.
Report by Sipho Thwala (Eldorado Park, South Africa)
Informal traders selling next to Shoprite in Eldorado Park receive a shock of their lifetime over the weekend when unexpectedly, the metro police pounced on them and even shoot bullets in the air before confiscating their goods. The Chairperson of the traders in Eldorado Park, Leon Barclay says: “We have never been harassed by metro police before. Thus, we were all surprised by the harassment incident over the weekend because we never received any complaint for trading illegally nor have they informed us of demarcated spaces for trading. Also surprising is the fact that the metro police only attack coloured traders. But we will not give them a chance again; if they can come and harass us we will fight them back. We are ready for them”.
Report by Mrs Regina Muwowo (Zambia)
The Zambian government is one amongst the very few states within the SADC region which support the informal trade sector. We wish many of states can emulate it by supporting the informal traders. The Copper belt Cross Border Traders (CBTAKT) and Integrated Business Association (IBA) are some of the informal business structures that enjoy the support of the Zambian government. The government has even donated five containers, land and three warehouses to informal traders belonging to the CBTAKT and IBA. Government officials are usually invited to attend workshops and other events hosted by CBTAKT and IBA.
The Zambian Development Agency is an agent in the government that helps the informal sector to develop into well-established entities. The same agency identifies foreign Companies to be linked to local traders so that they can learn new skills. The government promote lower interest charges by the commercial banks and other financial lending institutions to encourage more people in the informal sector to have access to loans and start businesses. The government also has established the Citizen Economical Empowerment Commission which identifies women and youth groups who have viable business proposals or projects to undertake, but have no access to capital. Upon identifying these groups, they are given loans to start-up business. By so doing, employment is created in the informal sector both to the youths and women. Even the disabled benefit from the same programme because they also form part of the informal sector in this area of trade.
Report by Bhevha Hlophe (Swaziland)
The Coalition of informal economy Association of Swaziland held two rallies on the 15th and 17th November with informal traders in Nhlangano and Madlangisi respectively. The rallies focussed on issues and challenges affecting informal traders in Swaziland. The rallies were also used as platform to mobilise local traders and raise awareness about the SADC Informal Traders campaign. The coalition is preparing to hold bigger rally in the first week of December 2011 which will bring informal traders from different regions of Swaziland to come and strategize on how to advance their struggle and engage their authorities.
Monday, 21 November 2011
Friday, 11 November 2011
SADC Traders Campaign, putting the traders issues on the SADC agenda
Despite having attained independence and democracy, many countries in the Southern African Development Communities (SADC) still continue to grapple with social and economic challenges. Poverty, inequality and unemployment are but some of the key challenges being experienced by some countries within the SADC region like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, and Swaziland. According to the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Plan, 70% of the population in the region are living below the international poverty line of US$2 per day. It is also in these countries where many rely on informal trade to earn a living. However, very few states allow informal trading to be part of their cities cadence and bustle.
Informal trade is not only a means to create employment within the SADC region but its also a main source of income for many families. Policy and Advocacy Director at the Trade Collective, Dr Lebohang Pheko says that in SADC informal trade contributes an average of over US$17.6 billion per year. Further, some SADC states continue to acquire revenue from duties and taxes charged to small informal traders who operate across borders, though they do not recognise the sector as being part of the national and regional economies. Informal trade is seen as a sector evading tax and therefore illegal, rather than an alternative for making livelihood.
Majority of those in the informal trade sector are women. Some women turned to street trading to run away from the unbearable conditions that they were being subjected to at home. Unlike their male counter-part, the anguish of women traders goes beyond having to deal only with harsh atrocious working conditions to municipal by-laws and policies that purge them from peddling the corners of the streets. They have to deal with cultural, religious and traditional stereotypes.
It is therefore against this background that as informal traders within the SADC region, we have decided to run a campaign that is aimed at putting an end to their economic and sexual violence. Countries participating in the campaign are South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Some of the challenges we experience includes:
Absence of decent trading places
Sexual advances on women traders
On-going police harassment and stock confiscation
Theft and bribery from government officials and custom officers at
borders
Fragmentation that bound within the informal trading sector
Xenophobic tendencies against foreign nationals
Informal trader formations misconstrued as opposition parties
Informal Traders in the SADC region demands:
Stop to economic and sexual violence
Fair treatment of Informal traders
Pro-informal traders policies and by-laws
Respect for the rights of informal traders
We call upon all, including faith communities, social movements and civil society organisations to stand in solidarity with Informal traders in the SADC region as we fight against unjust policies, systems of marginalisation and for our right to trade. You can show solidarity with us in the campaign by endorsing our statements, issuing articles or writing letters to media houses as well as sending us your messages of support.
Organisations who are already partnering the SADC Informal traders campaign are Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic Transformation, Regional Export Promotion Trust (Zimbabwe), Economic Justice Network (EJN), Lesotho Christian Council, Swaziland Christian Council, Zimbabwe Council of Churches, Khathang Tema Baitsukuli (Lesotho), Coalition of Informal Economy Association of Swaziland, Women Informal Development Forum and Abahlali BaseMjondolo Women’s League.
For more information about the campaign or how you can show your support, contact Sipho Thwala (Campaign Co-ordinator) at ESSET Office Tel No: + 27 833 1190. Alternatively email him at: sipho.qhass@gmail.com or info@esset.org.za. More information will also be on ESSET website: www.esset.org.za
Informal trade is not only a means to create employment within the SADC region but its also a main source of income for many families. Policy and Advocacy Director at the Trade Collective, Dr Lebohang Pheko says that in SADC informal trade contributes an average of over US$17.6 billion per year. Further, some SADC states continue to acquire revenue from duties and taxes charged to small informal traders who operate across borders, though they do not recognise the sector as being part of the national and regional economies. Informal trade is seen as a sector evading tax and therefore illegal, rather than an alternative for making livelihood.
Majority of those in the informal trade sector are women. Some women turned to street trading to run away from the unbearable conditions that they were being subjected to at home. Unlike their male counter-part, the anguish of women traders goes beyond having to deal only with harsh atrocious working conditions to municipal by-laws and policies that purge them from peddling the corners of the streets. They have to deal with cultural, religious and traditional stereotypes.
It is therefore against this background that as informal traders within the SADC region, we have decided to run a campaign that is aimed at putting an end to their economic and sexual violence. Countries participating in the campaign are South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Some of the challenges we experience includes:
Absence of decent trading places
Sexual advances on women traders
On-going police harassment and stock confiscation
Theft and bribery from government officials and custom officers at
borders
Fragmentation that bound within the informal trading sector
Xenophobic tendencies against foreign nationals
Informal trader formations misconstrued as opposition parties
Informal Traders in the SADC region demands:
Stop to economic and sexual violence
Fair treatment of Informal traders
Pro-informal traders policies and by-laws
Respect for the rights of informal traders
We call upon all, including faith communities, social movements and civil society organisations to stand in solidarity with Informal traders in the SADC region as we fight against unjust policies, systems of marginalisation and for our right to trade. You can show solidarity with us in the campaign by endorsing our statements, issuing articles or writing letters to media houses as well as sending us your messages of support.
Organisations who are already partnering the SADC Informal traders campaign are Ecumenical Service for Socio-Economic Transformation, Regional Export Promotion Trust (Zimbabwe), Economic Justice Network (EJN), Lesotho Christian Council, Swaziland Christian Council, Zimbabwe Council of Churches, Khathang Tema Baitsukuli (Lesotho), Coalition of Informal Economy Association of Swaziland, Women Informal Development Forum and Abahlali BaseMjondolo Women’s League.
For more information about the campaign or how you can show your support, contact Sipho Thwala (Campaign Co-ordinator) at ESSET Office Tel No: + 27 833 1190. Alternatively email him at: sipho.qhass@gmail.com or info@esset.org.za. More information will also be on ESSET website: www.esset.org.za
Friday, 4 November 2011
Women traders in Rustenburg take charge of their struggle
Great strides is being made by women informal traders in Rustenburg, North West just few months down the line following with them on their rights and how these are continually undermined. The reflections took place at the Rustenburg Taxi rank, with about 30 women. The platform gave women a space to criticially analyse the rules and regulations of informal trade; their experiences in the existing spaces for participation and engagements with government departments that have been constitutionally entrusted with the responsibility to bring development in the informal trading sector. These reflections also gave women a space to voice out issues affecting their day-to-day work and to devise strategies to ensure that their voice is heard.
A number of disturbing issues emerged from the reflections. We learnt that there is no clear policy on informal trade. The laws that are used to regulate informal trade in the area and the province still reflect the old apartheid rule. The municipality tends to communicate with traders through newspapers and by-law booklets written in English and Afrikaans, which is not reader-friendly to most traders who are illiterate. These by-law booklets or newspapers would have on them information on the the processes that should be followed when goods are being confiscated, but because the traders are not familiar with the language, they will then have to bear the feeling of loosing their goods.
Traders are not involved in policy formulation processes affecting them with no measures made to ensure that they participate. The current by-laws work against informal traders, who are mostly women. Women traders also suffer unfair law-enforcement by municipal police who often fail to follow proper procedures. Women complained that whilst the informal trade sector is dominated by women, most of their leadership committees consist of mainly men, who at times are not even traders themselves. Decisions taken thus fail to consider their views.
Another concern raised by women was that in as much as women traders are aware of the unfair policy processes that exclude them, they preferred to remain silent and focus on the fact that they are able to wake up everyday and work for their families. When questioned about why they did not oppose this unfair practice, they indicated that that this is how things are done there. They linked this to their Batswana culture where women are expected to remain submissive to their men.
In this regard, they expressed their belief that a better solution for a woman or for a woman‘s problem is a man, “Sethlare sa mosadi ke mmona“. This basically means that, whatever the man or (leaders) do either wrong or rightly so, is ok because they were ‘meant‘ for that – to be decision-makers, leaders and heads of the family and society. The women have also extended this belief to other areas of their lives, including race. They alluded to the fact that generally, poorBatswana community believes that a solution for a motswana person or a black-person is a white man. This in essence indicate that there is nothing a motswana person can do without the intervention of a white person.
Listening to these assertions, it was very clear that socialisation and internalised oppression is playing a major role in delaying transformation in the lives of these women. In fact, to us their socialisation is playing a critical role in reinforcing their harrassment and violation of their rights both by government and some of their male counterparts. The kind of oppression witnessed in this province is not peculiar amongst informal traders but is prevalent amongst other people in other provinces as well. Many people as a result continue to be disempowered as those in power take advantage of their vulnerabilities.
However, we were pleasantly surprised at the end of our engagements with women traders in Rustenburg when they indicated that the reflections have opened their eyes and minds. The women also strongly felt that it is in their best interest to raise their own voice in all processes that concern their sector and their lives. They resolved to mobilize themselves as women informal traders in that area. This was going to begin with a meeting they planned to convene as women to start to conscietize each other on their rights and how they can protect and promote those rights.
We visited the group three months later. We learnt that the women did not waste time in putting their resolutions into effect. They started to mobilize themselves with the aim to addresss some of their internal issues such as encouraging unity amongst themselves as traders, liase with the other groups of informal traders in the area. During that time, the local municipality through its law-enforcement agency; metro police, embarked on a clean-up campaign which led to the confiscation of their stock.
This took place without prior consultation with traders. As usual, the women traders expected their leaders who are men to act in their defence. When women observed the reluctance of their male counterparts, they were reminded of the information that was recently shared with them on their rights. They decided to take matters into their own hands using the knowledge they have gained and commitments they have made. They contacted the Lawyers for Human Rights and narrated their ordeal, which the lawyers agreed to help them. They set an appointment andorganised their own transport to meet with the lawyers. There were about 33 women in total who met with the lawyer.
The decision by women traders to consult the lawyers evoked a reaction from the male dominated leadership committee who felt disrespected. This kind of reaction is of cause a matter of concern, and reflects the general resistance to gender transformation in our society. This attitude is prevalent in most spheres of our society where men feel disempowered when women start to take a leadership role. This tendency also tends to contribute to domestic violance .
However, despite this setback, the meeting with the lawyer ended on a positive note with the lawyers agreeing to file a court case against the municipality. On the day of the court case the women traders organised their own transport and went to Mafikeng High Court on their own. One could see the joy and pride in their faces as they told their story. They were proud of the way they have acted upon their plight by themselves. Certainly to them, the ruling of court which worked in their favour was a cherry on top.
The Mafikeng High Court ordered the municipality to stop harrassing the traders and to stop confiscating their stock until the municipality arranged a meeting with the traders‘ lawyers to find a mutual agreement or an out- of court settlement. The court also ruled that the municipality should compensate each trader an amount of R500 for the confiscated stock. If the municipality continues to violate the rights of informal traders, the municipality would have to pay a fine of R50 000. This was clearly a resounding victory for informal traders. 33 women informal traders from Rustenburg stood the test of time by taking a lead in fighting for justice and protecting their rights by challenging the local authorities and forces of power that sought to undermine their rights. The women were happy that they can now trade without fear of being harrassed by the authorities.
Clearly, there is a sign of a real shift of mind-set from the time when we met women traders in Rustenburg. This also verifies that women can really effect change in our society. Even those in power in that area will from now onwards have to think twice when dealing with these women. Some of them have told us that they have also decided to stop believing on the cultural phrase that says: “the solution for women‘s problems is a man“. They said taking a lead in their struggle has been something that they have always longed for and just one initiative has proven that they are capable. They stated that they could not afford to be led by people who seem to care less about what matters most to them as women. Forward with women empowerment!
By: Mandla HK Mndebele
ESSET Programme Assistant
A number of disturbing issues emerged from the reflections. We learnt that there is no clear policy on informal trade. The laws that are used to regulate informal trade in the area and the province still reflect the old apartheid rule. The municipality tends to communicate with traders through newspapers and by-law booklets written in English and Afrikaans, which is not reader-friendly to most traders who are illiterate. These by-law booklets or newspapers would have on them information on the the processes that should be followed when goods are being confiscated, but because the traders are not familiar with the language, they will then have to bear the feeling of loosing their goods.
Traders are not involved in policy formulation processes affecting them with no measures made to ensure that they participate. The current by-laws work against informal traders, who are mostly women. Women traders also suffer unfair law-enforcement by municipal police who often fail to follow proper procedures. Women complained that whilst the informal trade sector is dominated by women, most of their leadership committees consist of mainly men, who at times are not even traders themselves. Decisions taken thus fail to consider their views.
Another concern raised by women was that in as much as women traders are aware of the unfair policy processes that exclude them, they preferred to remain silent and focus on the fact that they are able to wake up everyday and work for their families. When questioned about why they did not oppose this unfair practice, they indicated that that this is how things are done there. They linked this to their Batswana culture where women are expected to remain submissive to their men.
In this regard, they expressed their belief that a better solution for a woman or for a woman‘s problem is a man, “Sethlare sa mosadi ke mmona“. This basically means that, whatever the man or (leaders) do either wrong or rightly so, is ok because they were ‘meant‘ for that – to be decision-makers, leaders and heads of the family and society. The women have also extended this belief to other areas of their lives, including race. They alluded to the fact that generally, poorBatswana community believes that a solution for a motswana person or a black-person is a white man. This in essence indicate that there is nothing a motswana person can do without the intervention of a white person.
Listening to these assertions, it was very clear that socialisation and internalised oppression is playing a major role in delaying transformation in the lives of these women. In fact, to us their socialisation is playing a critical role in reinforcing their harrassment and violation of their rights both by government and some of their male counterparts. The kind of oppression witnessed in this province is not peculiar amongst informal traders but is prevalent amongst other people in other provinces as well. Many people as a result continue to be disempowered as those in power take advantage of their vulnerabilities.
However, we were pleasantly surprised at the end of our engagements with women traders in Rustenburg when they indicated that the reflections have opened their eyes and minds. The women also strongly felt that it is in their best interest to raise their own voice in all processes that concern their sector and their lives. They resolved to mobilize themselves as women informal traders in that area. This was going to begin with a meeting they planned to convene as women to start to conscietize each other on their rights and how they can protect and promote those rights.
We visited the group three months later. We learnt that the women did not waste time in putting their resolutions into effect. They started to mobilize themselves with the aim to addresss some of their internal issues such as encouraging unity amongst themselves as traders, liase with the other groups of informal traders in the area. During that time, the local municipality through its law-enforcement agency; metro police, embarked on a clean-up campaign which led to the confiscation of their stock.
This took place without prior consultation with traders. As usual, the women traders expected their leaders who are men to act in their defence. When women observed the reluctance of their male counterparts, they were reminded of the information that was recently shared with them on their rights. They decided to take matters into their own hands using the knowledge they have gained and commitments they have made. They contacted the Lawyers for Human Rights and narrated their ordeal, which the lawyers agreed to help them. They set an appointment andorganised their own transport to meet with the lawyers. There were about 33 women in total who met with the lawyer.
The decision by women traders to consult the lawyers evoked a reaction from the male dominated leadership committee who felt disrespected. This kind of reaction is of cause a matter of concern, and reflects the general resistance to gender transformation in our society. This attitude is prevalent in most spheres of our society where men feel disempowered when women start to take a leadership role. This tendency also tends to contribute to domestic violance .
However, despite this setback, the meeting with the lawyer ended on a positive note with the lawyers agreeing to file a court case against the municipality. On the day of the court case the women traders organised their own transport and went to Mafikeng High Court on their own. One could see the joy and pride in their faces as they told their story. They were proud of the way they have acted upon their plight by themselves. Certainly to them, the ruling of court which worked in their favour was a cherry on top.
The Mafikeng High Court ordered the municipality to stop harrassing the traders and to stop confiscating their stock until the municipality arranged a meeting with the traders‘ lawyers to find a mutual agreement or an out- of court settlement. The court also ruled that the municipality should compensate each trader an amount of R500 for the confiscated stock. If the municipality continues to violate the rights of informal traders, the municipality would have to pay a fine of R50 000. This was clearly a resounding victory for informal traders. 33 women informal traders from Rustenburg stood the test of time by taking a lead in fighting for justice and protecting their rights by challenging the local authorities and forces of power that sought to undermine their rights. The women were happy that they can now trade without fear of being harrassed by the authorities.
Clearly, there is a sign of a real shift of mind-set from the time when we met women traders in Rustenburg. This also verifies that women can really effect change in our society. Even those in power in that area will from now onwards have to think twice when dealing with these women. Some of them have told us that they have also decided to stop believing on the cultural phrase that says: “the solution for women‘s problems is a man“. They said taking a lead in their struggle has been something that they have always longed for and just one initiative has proven that they are capable. They stated that they could not afford to be led by people who seem to care less about what matters most to them as women. Forward with women empowerment!
By: Mandla HK Mndebele
ESSET Programme Assistant
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Consultation Meeting of Informal traders in Mankayane (Swaziland)
As part of the SADC Informal Traders Campaign, aimed at putting an end to sexual and economic violence on informal traders, the Coalition of informal economy Association of Swaziland is hosting a Consultation Meeting with Informal traders in Mankayane (Sub-region of Mbabane, Swaziland). The meeting will discuss issues and challenges affecting informal traders in Swaziland and explore strategies on how to deal with it. About 1000 traders are expected to attend, coming from areas such as Mbabane, Nhlangano, Mankayane, and Manzini. Also participating in this campaign is informal traders from other SADC countries such as South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
The Ecumenical Service for Socio Economic Transformation (ESSET) is holding a two
day Stakeholder Dialogue on Policy and Legislation of Informal Trade. The dialogue is being
held in Kliptown Hall (Soweto) on 11- 12 October 2011.
Background to the dialogues
ESSET started working with informal traders around the city of Johannesburg in 2006. One of
the ESSET projects under its accompaniment programme is informal trading. In 2006,
we conducted a survey on informal trade, with the aim to have a better perspective of the sector. In 2011, ESSET supported by the Foundation for Human Rights embarked on the project
titled: Strengthening the Voice of Women informal traders in Policy processes.
In carrying out this project, ESSET embarked on a number of activities. One of these is a
research that was aimed at providing information on relevant legislation and policies
and conducted three days workshops in Johannes burg and Rustenburg on advancing the
socio economic rights of women traders. The workshops together with the research resulted
in an understanding by women traders of their rights; however the issues on policy still
needs further engagement. Thus the upcoming stakeholder dialogue will be used as a
platform for both women and men informal traders and policy makers, law enforces to
engage, to ensure proper representation of women informal traders in policy processes
and the realisation of their rights to participate in the informal economy.
The objectives of the dialogue are :
· To engage on the research findings on legislation and policy that has a bearing on
rights of women traders to trade and its implications to participatory democracy.
· To deliberate on shared experiences and demands formulated while exploring possible avenues for participation.
· To explore avenues for participation by women traders and to examine hindrances to participation of women traders in policy processes.
Stakeholder Dialogue schedule details:
Date : 11- 12 October 2011
Venue: Jabulani, Soweto
Time: 10am – 3pm
ESSET host Stakeholder Dialogue on Policy and Legislation of Informal Trade
The Ecumenical Service for Socio Economic Transformation (ESSET) will be holding a two day Stakeholder Dialogue on Policy and Legislation of Informal Trade. The dialogue will be held in Kliptown Hall (Soweto) on 11- 12 October 2011.
Background to the dialogues
ESSET started working with informal traders around the city of Johannesburg in 2006. One of the ESSET projects under its accompaniment programme is informal trading. In 2006, we conducted a survey on informal trade, with the aim to have a better perspective of the sector. In 2011, ESSET supported by the Foundation for Human Rights embarked on the project titled: Strengthening the Voice of Women informal traders in Policy processes.
In carrying out this project, ESSET embarked on a number of activities. One of these is a research that was aimed at providing information on relevant legislation and policies and conducted three days workshops in Johannesburg and Rustenburg on advancing the socio economic rights of women traders. The workshops together with the research resulted in an understanding by women traders of their rights; however the issues on policy still needs further engagement. Thus the upcoming stakeholder dialogue will be used as a platform for both women and men informal traders and policy makers, law enforces to engage, to ensure proper representation of informal traders in policy processes and the realisation of their rights to participate.
The objectives of the dialogue are :
• To engage on the research findings on legislation and policy that has a
bearing on rights of women traders to trade and its implications to
participatory democracy.
• To deliberate on shared experiences and demands formulated while
exploring possible avenues for participation.
• To explore avenues for participation by women traders and to examine
hindrances to participation of women traders in policy processes.
Stakeholder Dialogue schedule details:
Date : 11- 12 October 2011
Venue: Jabulani, Soweto
Time : 10am – 3pm
Background to the dialogues
ESSET started working with informal traders around the city of Johannesburg in 2006. One of the ESSET projects under its accompaniment programme is informal trading. In 2006, we conducted a survey on informal trade, with the aim to have a better perspective of the sector. In 2011, ESSET supported by the Foundation for Human Rights embarked on the project titled: Strengthening the Voice of Women informal traders in Policy processes.
In carrying out this project, ESSET embarked on a number of activities. One of these is a research that was aimed at providing information on relevant legislation and policies and conducted three days workshops in Johannesburg and Rustenburg on advancing the socio economic rights of women traders. The workshops together with the research resulted in an understanding by women traders of their rights; however the issues on policy still needs further engagement. Thus the upcoming stakeholder dialogue will be used as a platform for both women and men informal traders and policy makers, law enforces to engage, to ensure proper representation of informal traders in policy processes and the realisation of their rights to participate.
The objectives of the dialogue are :
• To engage on the research findings on legislation and policy that has a
bearing on rights of women traders to trade and its implications to
participatory democracy.
• To deliberate on shared experiences and demands formulated while
exploring possible avenues for participation.
• To explore avenues for participation by women traders and to examine
hindrances to participation of women traders in policy processes.
Stakeholder Dialogue schedule details:
Date : 11- 12 October 2011
Venue: Jabulani, Soweto
Time : 10am – 3pm
Friday, 16 September 2011
Informal traders at Stretford station in agitations over eviction
The informal traders selling at Stretford station in Orange Farm (West of Johannesburg, South Africa) have been living in agitations recently after having received a verbal notice that they will be evicted from their trading site to make way for the construction of a mall.
Mama Ernestina Sithole, a widow and grandmother of seven, wants the sale transaction of the land and plans for the building of the mall to be halted. Mama Sithole reveals how it all started: “When we started to trade here in 1989 during apartheid, there were no municipal by-laws or regulations of traders. With only two trains, we survived selling to commuters and why should they make our life hell now in a democratic dispensation when there is more trains and more commuters. We should be allowed to sell more freely to support our families because this is the only means of our livelihood. We want the initial agreement to still be honoured, whereby we are only allowed to trade in stalls in the entrance of the station and not stores inside the mall. We cannot afford to pay more than R100, our profit is little and many of us have many responsibilities”.
Mama Sithole is amongst the few who are the first in Orange farm, who settled in Extension 1 since 1989, where they are still living. They approached the municipality, who was known as the TPA for work but were without luck. Mr. DeBeers who was a land owner then encouraged women like Mama Sithole to brew mageu and make fat cakes and sell at the station. And that’s how they have survived and supported their families.
She and other fellow traders are in distress because if the land on which they are trading in is sold by December this year then that will mean automatic eviction for all traders. Between now and the selling date of the land, traders have vowed to fight for their right to make a living. The Stretford traders are amongst many vulnerable groups of the poor experiencing injustice of the system. Others groups such as the Cloverdene Homeless community who have on numerous occasions faced threats of evictions and be forcefully displaced in their dwelling places.
She continues to elaborate: “We started to experience threats in our businesses in 1992 when a man called Majola came harassing and chasing us to move away from the station and his land. We resisted eviction and upon doing our own investigations, we discovered that he was not even the landlord and in 1993 he disappeared. Then in 1994 Mr Liewemann surfaced as the landlord and immediately also instructed us to stop trading at the station. We refused to go away. We then told him that we had been there long before he bought the land. We explained to him that the station is a lucrative trading site because most of our customers were commuters using trains. He then agreed that we can continue trading here at the entrance of the station. It is strange that he has now shifted from our original agreement but we will not be timid, we are prepared to fight for our rights to trade here. If we are hungry most of us come here, it has become a shared space for all of us to make a living without having to produce qualifications or certain skills. We don’t say we will not pay rent but we must be given trading space that we can afford to pay and that the rental charges must be reasonable”.
According to the traders they were recently visited by people who claimed to belong to Business Forum and Urban Development respectively, both also indicating that they were acting on behalf of the landlord of the land on which they were trading to come to give verbal notice for the traders to move out so that the construction of the mall would resume. The irate traders have continuously defied verbal notice of eviction by continuing to trade at the station and held meetings with the landlord. They have since approached the Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) to help strengthen their struggle to not lose their right to trade and get better deals from the landlord once the mall is built. The LHR officials and has subsequently engaged the owner (Mr David Liewemann) of the land earmarked to be used to build a mall next to the Stretford station.
In a feedback meeting held last week between the informal traders and LHR officials, the informal traders were still baffled that Mr Liewemann has retrogressed from their original agreement. The traders insist that the landlord assured them that no matter what, they will always be tenants and traders at the land next to the station. He even made them sign agreement of such decision which further assures them that they will only pay R100 per stall on a monthly basis.
However, the feedback from the LHR officials who went to meet Mr Liewemann about the distress of traders signifies that the building of the mall is imminent and that there is little that the traders can do about it. Mr Liewemann is offering to accommodate 32 traders whom he found at the station when he became the new landlord in 1994. He has promised to make available seven square metres each to the 32 traders inside the mall which may be sponsored by other big retailers such as Pick ’n Pay. The traders will be expected to pay at least 25% of rental and when their businesses pick up; they are expected to pay up to a minimum of R1000 per a month. Once the mall is built it will be illegal for traders to continue selling at the station or near the mall.
Bheki Mathebula, one of the traders in attendance at the meeting asked: “Is the landlord hell-bent on going ahead with the construction of the mall whereas it will result in many of us being forced to shut down our businesses and go home to suffer”. The question to which the LHR officials responded with a sad and loud yes and further elaborating that the landlord want traders to move to trade at taxi rank instead of the mall. However, the officials promised the traders that they will put more effort in ensuring that the construction of the mall does not take away their rights to continue selling and making a living. It also came to light that the landlord is currently leasing the land with prospects that the transaction sale will be finalised not later than the end of this year.
The imminent eviction of traders at the station has equally affected both the old and the young. One of the youth traders at the station, Daniel Letsholonyane says that traders as members of the community in Orange Farm welcome developments but it should not come at traders’ expense. “We do not want developments that will marginalise and make us more poorer. If the development is genuine then we should be all be consulted as stakeholders and reach amicable solution. We cannot allow government, business and the landlord to make decisions that negatively impact us without challenging them. This land belongs to us all”.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)