Abstract:
CONTEXT: Within the urban areas, especially the central business districts, informal trading
is growing in large numbers, and the informal vendor’s health is also at risk. Despite various
frameworks developed for this industry, there are few guidance and implementation strategies on
how to accomplish better-managed informal trading, mostly one that entails better occupational
settings. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the proposed model is to improve the working conditions for informal
vendors in South Africa by redesigning the current informal trading management approach, thus
ensuring a healthy workplace. An evidence-based approach was used to inform the development
of this model. RESULTS: This paper outlines the current challenges of informal vendors in urban
areas as per the quantitative health risk assessment study that was conducted in 16 markets amongst
617 informal food vendors in the inner city of Johannesburg, South Africa. The study investigated
the respiratory health caused by air pollution and associated risk factors. Findings revealed a lack
of infrastructure and higher exposure to air pollution, resulting in respiratory ill-health amongst
outdoor vendors as compared to indoor vendors. The vendors were more exposed to particulate
matter pollution in the spring and winter seasons as compared to the autumn and summer seasons.
Furthermore, the upper respiratory symptoms were statistically significant to the type of work
location (indoor/outdoor), type of cooking fuel, duration of work, frequency of hand hygiene,
and wearing of protective equipment. An informal vendors’ integrated management model that
encompasses a specific informal food vendor’s directorate was developed with five main components:
the reviewing of informal vendors’ legislation, the restructuring of designated vending or trading
sites, space allocation and occupancy, vendors‘ training and skills development, and the sustainability
of vending sites and vendors’ health. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The status revealed the legislation
fragmentation of the informal vendors’ activities. The goal of this informal vendors’ “healthy
workplace management model” is to inform government responses to the current challenges of the
informal vendors’ sector, as well as to guide policies and actions to reduce ill-health in the industry
and to avoid disruptions to informal food supply chains, which are critical in the food sector. This
model is explained well and documented for easier implementation in local governments. This paper
contributes to the extant literature on street vendors and future management strategies of this trade.
