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By Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia
First Spaza Shops, Now Street Vendors—What’s Really Behind the Government’s Plan to Regulate Informal Traders?
Johannesburg – In a move that’s left many scratching their heads, the South African government is expanding its crackdown on informal traders, targeting not just spaza shops, but now street vendors, too. For those of us on the ground, trying to get by, this plan feels less like regulation and more like an attack on ordinary people just trying to make a living and the criminalisation of poverty.
- The informal economy is the only place where it is possible to work for our livelihood as the number of people who are unemployed in our country increases at an alarming rate.
Black African women continue to be the most vulnerable with an unemployment rate of 39,9% in Q2:20241.
- According to Stats SA-Black African unemployment rate has consistently been higher than the national average and other population groups over the past 10-year period.
Instead of focusing on addressing what amounts to a humanitarian crisis of poverty, inequality and systemic unemployment – the state wants to place more people in conditions of abject poverty by taking away any means of survival in this move.
It started with spaza shops—government officials claimed it was about enforcing safety standards. But now, the target includes street vendors who depend on selling their goods day-to-day to support their families. We’re talking about people from all backgrounds, locals and migrants alike, who form the backbone of South Africa’s informal economy. The question everyone’s asking is: How will these new regulations actually be implemented in a fair way that doesn’t worsen poverty or fuel anti-immigrant tensions?
Here’s what we know:
- No Support, Just Rules: The government’s “plan” has no support in place for vendors to help them comply with these new requirements. Vendors aren’t getting training, resources, or even clear guidelines on what’s expected. How can someone be expected to meet standards they haven’t even been shown? It’s setting people up to fail.
- Health Standards Without a Plan: Government officials say it’s about safety, but they’re only focusing on punishing vendors, not the suppliers who put these dangerous products on the streets in the first place.
- Is This Even Practical?: There’s been no clear plan on how this will be rolled out. How will officials even begin to “enforce” these rules? Without consulting with vendors or considering the potential impact, this approach risks stoking xenophobic tensions by making it easy to blame migrant vendors for health risks that aren’t their fault.
So, what should be done? Here are a few ideas:
- Go After the Real Culprits: If the government is serious, they need to target the companies selling these banned pesticides to vulnerable shopkeepers, not the vendors who are just trying to make an honest living.
- Stop Making Enemies of Informal Traders: Informal trade is crucial to our economy. It employs tens of thousands who might otherwise be jobless. The government should work with vendors and Spaza shops instead of imposing regulations that risk killing their businesses.
One thing’s for sure—these communities are tired of being targeted while the bigger issues are ignored. For now, though, these questions remain unanswered. Until we see a real plan, this feels less like progress and more like punishment for those already struggling.
Contact Information
Email: media@kaax.org.za
Phone: +27 68 552 2510
This press statement was released by Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia on 11 November 2024
