Abstract:
Informal street vending is a form of informal employment, and occupational
conditions for people within this group have been proven to be detrimental to their health. Two
independent reviewers carried out a systematic evaluation of the existing literature in South Africa on
environmental and occupational exposures, as well as the health effects faced by informal street food
vendors. Methods: 354 published publications were reviewed and 9 were included, following the
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results:
The evidence showed that informal street vendors are exposed to workplace risks that affect their
health and wellbeing. Non-enclosed vendor stalls and frequent use of open fires were among the risk
concerns. Vendors are vulnerable to gastrointestinal diseases such as salmonellosis and respiratory
infections such as influenza and COVID-19 due to inadequate access to water, waste disposal facilities,
and basic hygiene awareness and practices. Exposure to air pollutants increased the risk of respiratory
and urinary illnesses and an impact on the reproductive health of female street vendors. Conclusions:
This investigation demonstrated the difficulties in complying with the requirements of the Regulations
Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of Food, and Related
Matters (no. R638 of 22 June 2018) and the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act (no. 85 of 1993).
Within South African borders, there is a scarcity of research on occupational exposures and health
effects in this occupation. As a result, eliminating or preventing these occupational exposures should
be at the top of government and stakeholder agendas. The majority of the research was carried out in
KwaZulu Natal and used a quantitative, cross-sectional technique. Other designs, including cohorts,
time series, and randomized intervention trials, were underutilized.
