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INTERNATIONAL DIALOGUE - URBAN 21
by
Arbind Singh and Pat Horn
A
global conference with the theme “Urban 21" was held in Berlin,
Germany in July this year. The conference was organized
to intensify the international dialogue on sustainable urban
development which was initiated by the United Nations with their
Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992
and their Habitat II Conference on Human Settlements held in Istanbul in
1996.
The
conference was attended by participants from all continents, among them
the mayors of large mega-cities,
high level representatives of government and non-government organisations,
politicians from the local level and experts.
It concluded a panel discussion on “Urban Policies and Street
Vendors: a Dialogue between Municipal Authorities and Street Vendors from
South Africa”.
Dr.
Sharit Bhowmik, was moderator of the panel and is Professor of Sociology
at Mumbai University. Panelist Patric Mncube started his career in
the Municipal police and was then transferred to the Department of
Informal Trade & Small Business Opportunities in the municipality. His
main job is to regulate street vendors. Pat Horn is a trade unionist from
the organized sector who read about the Self Employed Women's Association
(SEWA) n in India in 1991 and formed the Self Employed Women's Union (SEWU)
in Durban 1993. She is presently co-ordinating StreetNet. Zodwa Kumalo is
a herb trader in Durban. She has been with SEWU right from the beginning
and has been the main
negotiator for SEWU in her area. Paluben is a vegetable seller from
the crowded Danapith Manek Chowk area of Ahmedabad. She has been a member
of SEWA since 1992 and is also one of
the leaders of SEWA. She is active in organizing other women. Manali
Shah is a trade union organizer of women in 12 trades in SEWA. Manali has
led many struggles, including that for a minimum wage. Arbind Singh is a
lawyer who is also active in organizing street vendors. He is co-ordinating
the activities of National Alliance of Street Vendors of
India (NASVI).
Experiences
Zodwa
is a widow. Her husband passed away in 1978. She has to feed 7 children.
She has 4 grandchildren. After continuous harassment, she joined SEWU.
One day Patric came with police to move them to another place.
She rung up SEWU and there was a big stand-off, but they were not
moved. They eventually moved to the present market in 1998. They got
water, toilets and shelters. SEWU has organised them, so now the vendors represent themselves with one voice.
Paluben
has sold vegetable at the crowded Danapith Manek Chowk area for the past
40 years. She talked about the harassment by municipal authorities which
often included the confiscation of goods. She then joined SEWA. When the
harrassment reached unbearable limits, they went to the Supreme Court and
won the case for 324 vendors. They also opened the SEWA Bank to solve
credit problems. She concluded by saying that SEWA has helped them to
solve many of their problems.
Pat
concluded by acknowledging the complexity of
the situation. In many municipalities,
contracting out of the public functions of space management has
been attempted but has not solved the problem. Municipalities have to take
responsibility for developing their public space.