Market streets in South Africa’s informal settlements

Abstract

The African market street is unquestionably one of the most contested spaces in the built environment. It is a busy, crowded place shared by traders, pedestrians and vehicles, mostly minibus taxis. This phenomenon is inevitable in a region where the formal sector cannot provide enough jobs. At big transport hubs hawkers often earn a respectable income, but for the very poor trapped in informal settlements, small-scale informal trading is an essential and often desperate initiative just to survive. The focus is on trading in a shantytown in Mamelodi, outside Pretoria. Demographics and the intrinsic problems related to economic activities are briefly reviewed, followed by a search for relevant solutions.

Die Afrika markstraat is ongetwyfeld een van die mees bestrede ruimtes in die bou omgewing. Dit is ’n besige, wemelende plek wat deur handelaars, voetgangers en voertuie, meestal minibus huurmotors, gedeel word. Die verskynsel is onvermydelik in ’n streek waar die formele sektor nie genoeg werk kan voorsien nie. By groot vervoerpunte verdien straatverkopers dikwels ’n redelike inkomste, maar vir die uiterste arm mense in informele nedersettings is kleinskaalse handeldryf ’n noodsaaklike en dikwels ’n desperate onderneming net om te kan oorleef. Die fokus is op handel in ’n informele nedersetting in Mamelodi, buite Pretoria. Demografiese aspekte en intrinsieke probleme wat verband hou met ekonomiese aktiwiteite word kortliks behandel, gevolg deur ’n soeke na toepaslike oplossings.