The plight of street vendors in Pan Africa Shopping Mall in Alexandra Township, South Africa

Abstract

This dissertation explores the plight of street vendors in the Pan Africa Shopping Mall in Alexandra Township in Johannesburg. Street vendors contribute to the economy of the country, yet the government treats them with disdain. The study is descriptive and qualitative in nature. Telephonic interviews were conducted in line with Covid-19 protocols that existed at the time. Fourteen street vendors and three shopkeepers were interviewed in the Pan Africa Shopping Mall using open-ended questions. The study established that the local police force (the JMPD), is a major challenge for street vendors in that every time they are evicted and their stock confiscated, street vendors are forced to pay bribes of anything from two thousand rand to ten thousand rand (R2 000–R10 000) – depending on what has been confiscated – to recover their stock, in contrast to the city's by-law under offences and penalties which states that any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of this by-law is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding R500. Crime is another challenge street vendors face, on top of the challenge of ablution facilities which affects health and safety. The study recommends that since JMPD is an entity of government, government departments should therefore speak in one voice and avoid contradiction in their policies, vis-à-vis the legality of street trading. Some street vendors often face attack through theft, break-ins and arson. Insurance for street vendors can therefore be very important in enabling them to protect their investments, especially those who are selling high-value items.