F/town informal traders’ skirmish with regulators
FRANCISTOWN: For a relatively struggling city like Francistown, the informal sector constitutes a dynamic engine of development and economic growth.
However, the informal sector in the city faces several problems. For years those eking a living in the informal sector, particularly vendors (operating within the city’s main CBD) have accused the Francistown City Council (FCC) of failing to provide an enabling environment for them to thrive and be mainstreamed into the economy for them to lead better lives.
To be precise, the burden of regulatory frameworks, lack of designated operating spaces as well as complex and inefficient compliance structures are some of the challenges confronting those in the informal sector.
In fact, on many occasions, the council through its by-law department, more often confiscates tables or temporary structures used by those in the informal sector, particularly street vendors, to run their businesses.
In justifying this cat-and-mouse relationship, city authorities advance the argument that they are ‘cleaning up’ the city. The FCC is of the view that vendors should not leave behind their structures or tables when they knock off, as this makes the city untidy.
Vendors like Gaedupe Motota, however, argue that having too many ‘strict regulations’ and high penalties, will not promote change in behaviour.
Motota is the chairperson of Tabepo Association, a body that represents vendors who buy vegetables in South Africa and sell them in the city. Most of the vendors under the association operate within the city’s main Central Business District.
Motota and other vendors have often said they are totally against the idea of having to take away the tables they use to operate their businesses when they knock off because of the expenses associated.
“Our view is that the council should put more emphasis on ensuring that vendors clean their operating spaces rather than having to take their operating tables or stalls with them when they knock off,” pleads Motota. “Taking our tables when we knock off comes at a huge cost and is unsustainable for a business like ours. The constant seizure of our tables by council makes it hard for us to earn a stable income.” There is also a general consensus amongst vendors that the council should come up with long-term initiatives to address issues surrounding the accommodation of their business.
The vendors have in the past suggested the erection (by the council) of standard environmentally-friendly structures that they can use to operate their ventures from, as a long-term solution to their accommodation challenges.
Several proposals have also been put in place in the past to help the informal sector with operating space. Sometime in 2015, the council raised traders’ hopes when it promised to turn its abandoned horticultural market into an operating space for the informal sector. To date nothing has materialised.
This week, Itekeng ward councillor and chairperson of the FCC Finance sub committee, Lesego Kwambala explained that the council is working on coming up with inclusive practices to ensure that those in the informal sector can enjoy their rights to use public spaces without any hindrance. The finance committee directly deals with vendors.
“We are in the process of coming up with an informal sector strategy working together with those in the informal sector. The aim of the strategy is to set clear guidelines as to how they (the informal sector) can use the public space in a way that is fair and that makes public spaces work better for all.
“We could have started working on this strategy towards March but we were disturbed by the lockdown.”
The finance committee chairperson added: “The most significant aim of the strategy is to make all stakeholders (in the city) understand the value of the informal sector in the economy of the Francistown.”
Kwambala emphasised that under the new strategy, the intension is to have standardised structures where the informal sector most notably vendors could operate.
“We went on a benchmarking exercise in Zimbabwe last year and we were quite impressed with the way the informal sector operates. Vendors in Zimbabwe operate in kiosks that are built according to standardised specifications. When vendors operate from standardised facilities it becomes easy to regulate them.
“The aim of the strategy is to have vendors in the city, particularly those in the CBD, operating from standardised kiosks that are environmentally friendly.”
Kwambala said one of the main challenges of housing some vendors at the horticultural market is because the area is not strategically placed for business.
“The informal sector strategy will also cater for make up artists because we have realised that a majority of them have started operating informally. At the moment, council regulations do not allow make-up artists to be in the informal sector because of stringent regulations governing their trade.”