ReturnThe launch of Sisonke Traders’ Alliance
By Gaby Bikombo, President of Siyagunda Association
An alliance of street traders and other organisations of informal economy workers in the province of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, was launched on Wednesday 28th November 2007, under the name of Sisonke Trader’ Alliance. The three Durban-based street vendors’ organisations which are Siyagunda Association, The Eye Traders’ Association and Phoenix Plaza Street Traders’ Association, joined forces to initiate this umbrella body in order to be able to engage with the provincial and the local governments on all issues regarding the informal economy as a whole, as well as to identify and/or organise other informal economy organisations/ workers in the province, among other things.
It is with the organisational support of StreetNet and the South African Communist Party (SACP), that the process we started in May 2006 led to the formation of Sisonke Traders’ Alliance towards the end of 2007. The following are the Alliances’ objectives.
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To unite street traders and other informal economy workers’ organisations in an umbrella body, in order to speak with a much stronger and united voice, and be heard;
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To identify and assist with the formation of street vendors’ as well as informal workers organisations and encourage them to join Sisonke;
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To undertake training, information and education activities for our members’ organisations and their members;
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To collaborate with and/or affiliate to other bigger international organisations that have the interests of the informal sector at heart;
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To support as much as possible, street vendors and other informal traders and their families to earn a living;
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To protect and assist members through HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and possibly treatment programmes;
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To work towards the provision of child care, social security and access to micro-loans.
Approximately 150 street vendors and members of the organisations attended. The programme included introductions by each of the founding organisations in the Alliance, a poem recital by Veronica Xama of the Eye Traders’ Association, and a speech by guest speaker of the Eastern Cape Street Vendors’ Alliance, Fundile Jalile. The representative of the Deputy Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Mr Thulani Nzama, encouraged the organisations in the alliance under Sisonke, to ensure their voices are heard in collective bargaining. After the speeches, we proceeded with the adoption of the constitution before the election of six executive committee members (two from each organisation) who were tasked with leading the new Alliance.