Strategies used by street trader's organisations to influence trading policy and management in the city of Johannesburg

Abstract

Street trading is a highly contested economic activity in South African because of different interests held by government officials and other stakeholders. These interests are in most cases contradictory where this has resulted in disjuncture between initiatives of alleviating poverty which are encouraged by national government and management of street traders by local governments which tend to be restrictive. Street traders are seldom seen by government as political actors who can actively engage with different levels of government to influence policy outcomes that are meant to regulate their economic activity. In recent years however there has been a growth in the number of organisations which are aimed at influencing and resisting informal trading policy. These organisations which have emerged are in most cases challenging policies, claiming participation and recognition by government and fighting for their right to engage in their economic activity without harassment from government agents such as the Metro police (Johannesburg context). The increasing significance of informal traders’ organisations has resulted in pressure being put on government at different levels to allow street traders to participate in planning and policy decision making processes. This research argues that street traders’ organisations are a social movement which actively engages with different levels of government with the aim of wielding some influence on trading policy. The significance of street traders to form a social movement is so that they can collectively influence and resist policy which regulates their economic activity. The organisations adopt a multitude of strategies to influence policy and its implementation so that it is responsive to the context. Key Words: Participation, Mobilisation, Invented spaces, Invited spaces, Social Movement, Street traders’ organisations