On 20 and 21 June 2017, EDTA convened a workshop with the relevant stakeholders including but not limited to internal Municipal Directorates and Institutions such as Informal Trading Associations, Nelson Mandela University, SALGA, South Africa Rights Institute (SARI), Municipal Institute of Learnership and Education (MILE) and Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to discuss ways in which the challenges faced by both Informal Traders and the NMBM could be resolved.
Taking into consideration the overarching challenge confronting informal traders and the NMBM, the aim is to robustly explore street trading in the context of the informal economy. In doing so, the aspiration of EDTA is to achieve a mind-set shift in differentiating ‘enforcement’ from ‘management’ and thus, a distinction between the policies and by-laws will be clearly articulated as one (by-laws) being inward-looking, and the other (Informal Trading Policy) being more outward-looking. It is against this background that EDTA committed to develop an Informal Trading policy that will encompass a clear and broader developmental framework with the overall approach to educate and empower Informal Traders. The EDTA ‘s stance on Informal Trading and the key principles for the NMBM’s Informal Trading policy is to provide for the right to engage in informal trading; to establish informal trading areas and informal trading sites\bays on municipal property (demarcation); to provide for the granting of trading permits to trade on municipal property; to restrict and prohibit informal trading in certain areas in line with existing by-laws; to regulate the conduct of informal traders; to regulate informal trading at special events; to provide for measures to ensure health and safety of all Nelson Mandela Bay Citizens.
Progress to date
a) EDTA had fast tracked the process of policy development and a draft Informal Trading Policy has been developed and consultations with relevant Stakeholders including Informal Trading Associations will commence on the week of 2 October 2017.b) The draft policy
b) The draft policy will be presented to various Municipal Structures for comments and inputs starting with the Executive Management Committee to be held on the 2 October 2017.
c) The policy will be presented for adoption through various Council Committees starting with the EDTA Standing Committee to be held on the 19 October 2017 targeting final adoption by Council in November.
d) The Executive Mayor has instructed a stop to all evictions of Informal Traders and an Inter-departmental structure known as Informal Trading Management Committee has been established to amongst other things identify sites for Informal Trading and develop Informal Trading Plans, consider Informal trading applications.e) An Informal Trading Office to be manned by the Informal Trading Official within EDTA has been established. The office will receive and forward all applications to the Informal Trading Management Committee for consideration and provide interim permits on approved applications. The
e) An Informal Trading Office to be manned by the Informal Trading Official within EDTA has been established. The office will receive and forward all applications to the Informal Trading Management Committee for consideration and provide interim permits on approved applications. The long term permits can only be provided once the policy has been approved by Council.
f) The first meeting for the Informal Trading Committee will be held Friday, 29 September with the aim to start dealing with applications as from the week of 2 October 2017.
g) The application forms for registration and permits have been developed and will be available for Informal Traders as from 2 October 2017 from EDTA offices on the 7th Floor, Kwantu Towers. Contact: Ms Lulama Mxenge, email:lmxenge@mandelametro.gov.za and Ms Andisiwe Matiwane, email: amatiwane@mandelametro.gov.za telephone; 041 503 7502 or 041 5037500.
h) The Informal Trading Office will amongst other things also look at providing the necessary support for Informal Traders including the Infrastructural Support, Capacity Development including training in various aspects of business.