Return/Retourner/Volver

REPORT  OF  NATIONAL  STRATEGISING  SEMINAR

WITH  WORLD CLASS CITIES FOR ALL   (WCCA)  CAMPAIGN  PARTNERS

held on 7 and 8 March 2007 in Orchidea Hotel, Braamfontein  

Context

It has become a predictable reality that, when a country prepares to host a high-profile international event, the country and its local government authorities prepare to create “World Class Cities” of a particular type, i.e. World Class Cities which:

- will attract foreign investment;

- have modern up-to-date infrastructure;

- have no visible signs of urban decay;

- have smooth traffic flows;

- have no visible poor people or social problems. 

This usually includes the eviction of street vendors, sometimes accompanied by “slum clearance” programmes in which the poorest members of the population also lose their homes. Many of the newly homeless, being unable to enter the formal labour market, are also in the informal economy, which means that such people lose both their homes and their livelihoods at the same time, leaving little for them to fall back upon as their survival strategy – unless viable alternatives are provided. 

Gender implications:  The creation of typical "World Class cities” often results in prior development plans for the poor being abandoned or shelved.  On the streets this gives rise to pitched battles, which often militarises the struggles of street vendors, and the women literally disappear from the public profile as the development issues also disappear from the plans.  Women are pauperised by removing their source of livelihood in the public spaces of the cities concerned, while their male colleagues fight a massive defensive battle.  If there is a settlement at the end of the struggle, the militants are the ones with whom the authorities settle – while those displaced at the outset (mostly the women) remain unseen, forgotten, and have to start from the beginning again looking for a place to earn their livelihoods.

On 28 November 2007 StreetNet International launched a World Class Cities for ALL (WCCA) campaign in Johannesburg to challenge this traditional approach to building World Class Cities and create a new, more inclusive concept of “World Class Cities for All” with the participation of street vendors and other groups of the (urban) poor.  The campaign will focus on women and other vulnerable street vendors who are the first to lose their livelihoods and the most invisible in most plans for “World Class Cities”.

To this end, StreetNet has been soliciting the support of organizations with whom we share common concerns (see attached list of campaign partners – Annexure A) and decided to convene a national strategizing meeting with campaign partners and potential campaign partners to do the following:

1. Develop a South African WCCA campaign strategy for 2007 – 2010.
2. Distribute background materials for the campaign and on street vendor issues.
3. Distribute international research information to campaign partners.
4. Develop a participatory campaign strategy.
5. Develop an effective publicity strategy for the campaign.
6. Ensure significant women’s leadership of the campaign.
7. Develop effective local campaign structures.
8. Afterwards disseminate the campaign strategy to national campaign partners and international StreetNet affiliates.

Attendance:  46 participants from 24 organisations (7 being street vendors’ organizations based in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape) participated in the meeting, as well as the StreetNet facilitators, an independent researcher who assisted with recording, and a guest speaker from WIEGO based in Kenya. The participants were from the following 6 provinces: Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Western Cape.  (See Annexure B.)

Programme:  See Annexure C – which also lists the documents contained in the package of documents given to all participants.

Day 1  (Tuesday 7^th March 2007)

In a paired introductory exercise, participants expressed the following expectations of the WCCA campaign: 

Nonhlanhla Mkhize (SAMWU)

Expects to find out more about the situation of street vendors (as some of her jobs have already lost their jobs.  Would also like to know what role SAMWU can play.

Lindani Mathenjwa (SACP)

Wants to de-bunk myths about street vendors – counter negative image. 

CUP (both delegates)

They are both street vendors.

Want to counter negative image of street vendors being involved in crime.

Sihle Sibisi (Abahlali Basemjondolo)

He sells fruit in Pinetown.  Looking for solutions to problems.

Jalile (Eastern Cape Street vendors’ Alliance)

Unite street vendors of South Africa to work together.

Enoch Sibiya (SAMWU)

Superintendant in Alexandra.  Wants to bring together all small businesses under attack by govt. – also challenge tendering system.

Vivienne Lalu (SWEAT)

Expects to be able to develop a plan to protect street sex workers, in advance.

Simphiwe Mlokothi (SAMWU)

Works in Athlone office of SAMWU, and wants to figure out SAMWU’s role. 

Eric Ralepelle (LPM)

From Limpopo – self-employed electrical engineer.

Wants to know more about WCCA and how LPM can contribute.

Thandi Maluka (TAC)

TAC organizer in Nelspruit.  To know more about WCCA and how can TAC contribute to campaign or to help street vendors.

Temba Gqumbela (The Eye)

Want us to come out with one voice about the oppression of street vendors.

Thobekile Radebe (LPM)

Hopes to ensure that people get their land (generally ?)

David Molatsane (ACHIB)

He wants to know all the people who are represented here (and StreetNet)

Joshua Bitangalo (Siyagunda Association)

Hopes for an end to oppression of street vendors and street barbers

Jabulani Ntsele (The Eye)

Hopes to pre-empt “cleaning” street vendors off the streets before 2010.

Victoria Mali (ACHIB)

Director at Jhb station office of ACHIB.  Expects to see action plan to stop municipality from evicting poor people.

Chris Bonner (WIEGO)

Expects workshop to strengthen voice of street vendors and end their exclusion.

 Vela Langa (LPM)

Member of working committee.  Unemployed, working for LPM.

Not sure about expectations yet. 

Joe Pillay (PPSTA)

Wants to be able to make a living for families of street vendors.

Hopes to improve understanding about informal trade and organization.

Strong alliance against corruption, upliftment of poor to create better country.

 Neliswa Mfenqele (Eastern Cape Street Vendors’ Alliance)

From Queenstown, she sells bread and fruit.

Wants an end to harrassment and confiscation of goods.

Hopes to be able to negotiate with authorities for better understanding.

Sam Ndlovu (Gauteng Hawkers Assoc, part of AFITO)

Fruit trader at Metro Plaza and expects to meet and identify different stakeholders in informal sector, as well as other alliance partners.  Fight for interests of people instead of funding and finances.

 Roshan Singh (PPSTA)

Same problems as theirs in GHA.  Hopes for unity – our division is keeping us weak.

Look forward to working with SAMWU and SACP.  Hoping to form co-ops.

Daniel Bailey (COHRE)

Wants to learn about campaign and all the organizations involved in it.

Pinky Pikoli, Sam Khasibe (AFITO) Charles Malesa (Jhb North Traders)

Want to unify informal trading sector in Jhb and South Africa as main component of economy. Want to unite behind call for job creation, poverty alleviation and better life for all. Want to unite sector to speak with one voice.  Call upon local authorities for inclusion in policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.  Want national review of small business policy, and want to be involved in it.

Heloise Geyer (PSI)

PSI is mainly concerned about the empowerment of women

The expectations showed two patterns, i.e. the expectations of street vendors, organizations being slightly different from the expectations of other partner organizations, as follows:

Street vendors:

(1)   hoping to avoid increase in harassment and evictions in the lead-up to 2010

(2)   hoping to build unity between street vendors to speak with one voice

(3)   hoping to counter negative public image about street vendors

Other groups:

(1)   looking for what would be the most useful role in the campaign

(2)   hoping to learn more about the situation of street vendors and other informal workers

(3)   hoping to find ways of working together around job creation and eradication of poverty

All groups identified the following common issues as being their key pre-occupations in their day-to-day organizational work:

-         fighting against evictions/unemployment

-         lack of legal protection, perception of illegality in normal everyday activities

-         lack of basic facilities

-         exploitation of informal workers

-         low insecure incomes and poverty

-       marginalization and lack of consultation by authorities when decisions/policies are made affecting us  (N.B. “Nothing for us without us !!”)

-         increased uncertainty about plans in run-up to 2010

POSSIBLE DEMANDS:

The following possible demands were identified for the WCCA campaign:

1. National Policy Dialogue
2. Inclusion in policy formulation and decision-making about issues which affect us
3. Opportunities for informal economy workers and poor communities to benefit directly from World Cup
4. Provision of decent services for informal economy workers (incl. security, free water and electricity) and infrastructure (incl. transport)
5. Training of police on street vendors’ situation, legal and constitutional rights
6. Moratorium on all evictions
7. Community participation in fight against crime
8. COSATU demands leading up to 2010

These demands would now have to be made more specific, and integrated with the “WCCA demands to municipalities” which had been announced at the launch of the campaign on the 28^th November 2006 (see Annexure D)

APPROACHING MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER ACTORS:

The following role-players were identified as stakeholders who would need to be approached to negotiate campaign demands:

1. Metro Councils/cities hosting the World Cup
2. Other municipalities
3. SALGA
4. Metro Rail and Rail Commuters Corps
5. Safety & Security (Metro Police, others ?)
6. Property Owners (which ?)
7. Business (BUSA ? Chamsa ? NAFCOC ? FABCOS ?)
8. Urban Planners (who ?)
9. Taxi Associations and Bus Companies – transport logistics
10. Civic organizations – community participation in fighting crime
11. LOC (Local Organising Committee), SAFA, FIFA
12. NEDLAC
13. S.A. Cities Network

The following additional organizations were identified to be approached to join the campaign:

-         SANGOCO

-         SACC

-         other social movements

-         other unions

-         other NGOs

-         Community Constituency of NEDLAC

 STRATEGIC QUESTIONS arising from Day 1:

1. Who should do the approaches to municipalities/other actors ?
2. How to prioritise who to approach ?
3. Should we demand free basic services – or negotiated rates ?
4. How to integrate the above with draft campaign demands – or should there be different sets of demands for different actors ?

Day 2  (8^th March 2007)

After a synopsis of the proceedings of the previous day, Prof. Winnie Mitullah from the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Nairobi, who is also part of WIEGO (Women in Informal Employment: Globalising and Organising) presented on her work of linking research and organizing, which led to the establishment of the Kenya National Alliance of Street Vendors and Informal Traders (KENASVIT) in April 2006.  (See Annexure E.)  She had attended the Inclusive Cities Conference at Wits University on the 6^th and 7^th March where she had also presented a paper on related issues.  Her presentation was followed by a lively discussion and many questions about the situation of street vendors and informal traders in Kenya.  Since street vendors have been organized under KENASVIT and its 7 urban alliances Kenya Private Alliances have emerged in which big corporates in cities work with street vendors) and more inclusive planning has seen the creation of Hawkers’ Markets in CBD areas. A Civil Society network has developed in Nairobi, with one of the strongest allies being the Kenya Land Alliance – and it is hoped that this will expand to other towns. All this has only been possible since street vendors became better organized.

An interesting project undertaken by the Nairobi urban alliance (NISCOF) affiliated to KENASVIT was a street vendors’ census – which has since been adopted by the authorities since they had no street vendor statistics themselves.

The long-term strategy of Kenyan street vendors is based on the following:

• Planning is the key

• Organisation is still necessary to pressurise politicians

The rest of Day 2 was spent on intensive planning for a campaign programme.  The first stage was group work to discuss key elements of the plan, followed by a plenary session to integrate the work of the groups into a single plan.  See Annexure F for the draft plan which emerged from the meeting, and Annexure G for the press release which was circulated immediately after the meeting.

Compiled by:    Pat Horn (International Co-ordinator)

                        Nozipho Lembethe (International Administrator)

                        StreetNet International

ANNEXURE  A

Campaign Partners  (as at 28 November 2006)

AFITO (African Federation of Informal Traders’ Organisation)

Eastern Cape Street Vendors’ Alliance

Mbhilibi Workers Organisation (Nelspruit street vendors’ organisation)

Phoenix Plaza Street Traders’ Association

SA National Traders’ Retail Alliance

Siyagunda Association (Durban)

The Eye Traders Association (Durban)

COSATU

NACTU

SAMWU (South African Municipal Workers Union)

APF (Anti-Privatisation Forum)

CORE (Co-operative for Research and Education)

CUP (Coalition for the Urban Poor)

EMEP (Extra-Mural Education Project) Cape Town

GASC (Gauteng Alliance of Street Children)

Landless People’s Movement

Molo Songolo

NACL (Network against Child Labour)

NASC (National Alliance of Street Children)

School of Development Studies (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

SWEAT (Sex Workers Education & Advocacy Taskforce)

Youth Leadership Development Programme

Other organisations approached (not yet responded and/or indicated/confirmed their position)

ACHIB (African Council of Hawkers and Informal Businesses)

FEDUSA

IMATU

APF (Anti-Poverty Forum)

Abahlali Basemjondolo (Durban)

Black Sash

Cape Town task team against the 2010 “nuisance” Bylaw

Centre for Civil Society (University of KwaZulu-Natal)

Child Line

FEDUP (Federation for the Urban Poor)

Mennonite Central Committee (Refugees’ Network)

Other provincial Alliances of Street Children

NCRC (National Children’s Rights Centre)

Passion Sports Exposure (Durban)

SACP

SANCO

SAWID

Shack Dwellers International

Social Movements Indaba

South African Progressive Women’s Movement

Workers World Radio Productions

ANNEXURE  B

National Campaign Parters, Meeting on WCCA campaign in South Africa

Attendance Register: 7 and 8 March 2007