The City Creates Trading Stalls for Informal Business
The City of Ekurhuleni views street trading as part of economic development rather than a poverty alleviation or welfare project. The development of economic infrastructure tailored to create exposure of informal traders to their target market is a key priority for the City.
Development of policy framework and numerous support interventions by the City to promote the growth of this sector is a pure reflection of the commitment to improve the status of informal traders.
In the last 20 years, the City has made strides in creating a conducive environment for informal traders in terms of infrastructure and planning; government policy and practice; and economic variables.
“We have embraced the fact that informal trading is here to stay in the City of Ekurhuleni and we appreciate and harness the potential of informal trading in creating employment among our community,” said Cllr Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, MMC for Economic Development and Finance.
“Informal trading offers a way to escape deeper forms of poverty and other difficult situations. As the City, we have focused our attention on increasing the number of trading stalls for our informal traders in both townships and towns. We have strategically located these stalls next to shopping malls across the City for convenience and access to markets.”
Friday Moses sell accessories for cellphones next to Tsakane Mall and says, “The development of the stalls is really helping in protecting us from the rain and harshness of the sun. The space is large enough to display all the goods that I am selling and customers have great access to my stall.”
Trading in cosmetic products, Netsai Gezura says, “The location of our stalls is very convenient for access to the market. Sometimes before shoppers enter the mall to buy groceries they will see something that they like and stop to buy from us. Our product prices are much cheaper than in most stores in malls and that is the advantage of having us around.”
She further said that the stalls are of real help in giving dignity to the business of informal traders in the City. They are also well positioned to create competition among ourselves affording customers a choice to compare our product range in terms of freshness and cleanliness.
