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 Report of the National Campaign Meeting:

World Class Cities for All (WCCA)

 Held on March 17-19^th, 2009 at the Parktonian Hotel  Johannesburg, South Africa

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.  In any 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 focuses 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 and held its first national strategizing meeting with campaign partners and potential campaign partners in March 2007. After some engagement of FIFA host city municipalities during 2007 and 2008, StreetNet decided to host a second national strategizing meeting March 17-19^th, 2009 in Johannesburg. The following is a report of that meeting.

Meeting Objectives

1.      To revive and rebuild the momentum around the WCCA campaign.

2.      To reflect on and share WCCA campaign developments since the 2007 national campaign meeting.

3.      To allow campaign partners to share what it is they are already doing in readiness for 2010.

4.      To begin to develop a practical plan for the WCCA campaign programme for 2009 and 2010.

5.      To strengthen alliances between campaign partners to work together in ensuring a successful and engaging campaign programme on the ground.

6.      To agree on the next steps in the campaign implementation, around all the activities below, including who does what:

Ÿ  Educating and mobilising campaign partners on the ground;

Ÿ  Follow-ups to preliminary meetings held wit municipalities of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Metro, Mbombela;

Ÿ  Street demonstration in Durban;

Ÿ  New engagements with municipalities of Tshwane, Bloemfontein, Rustenburg, Polokwane;

Ÿ  National Host Cities Forum and provincial engagements;

Ÿ  NEDLAC Framework Agreement - moving forward;

Ÿ  2009 strategy for Confederations Cup

Ÿ  2010 strategy around Fan Parks and Public Viewing Stations;

Ÿ  SADC strategy;

Ÿ  Africa WCCA Day on 25 May 2010.

Attendance:  54 participants from 31 organizations (5 being street vendors’ organizations based in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape) participated in the meeting, as well as the StreetNet facilitators. The participants were from the following 4 provinces: Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape (See participant  list - Annexure A)

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

Day One: March 17^th, 2009

Welcome, Introductions and Agenda

Pat Horn, StreetNet Coordinator, welcomed all the delegates and introduced the agenda and objectives of the meeting.

A Problem Solving Committee was elected to deal with delegates’ problems – each evening they were to meet to sort them out and solve any issues arising.

Participants introduced themselves, their organisations and shared some of their expectations regarding the workshop.

Nomfezo Mdingi (COSATU)

Vastly organizing workers, including informal workers. Interested in building alliances with the Informal Economy Sector. Expects to network, interchange and forge relations with common goals.

Zamile Mbanjwa  and Fortune Ncube (Khulisa Crime Prevention Initiative)

Crime Prevention for out of school youth and learners in different schools, as well as with prisoners and ex-offenders, youth in conflict with the law, silence the violence campaign program

Braam Hanekom (PASSOP)

Advocacy for foreigners in townships, regarding documentation. Situation for foreigners has worsened building up to 2010, with exclusion of foreign nationals. Municipal govt excludes foreigners.

Edmund Elias (SANTRA – part of street vendors co-ordinated by COSATU)

Actively engaged with Council and the local municipality regarding FIFA 2010 bylaws, making inputs and proposals to include street vendors.  Working on building a partnership with COSATU.

Vuyo Sangweni (Amandla! Publications)

Works in the production of media materials (including print media, community radio and documentaries) pertaining to social justice and economic justice. Amandla’s partner organisation is the AIDC development centre.

Chris Bonner (WIEGO)

Work focuses on informal workers, home workers, waste pickers, researchers, NGOs, statisticians regarding informal employment, overall working towards policy changes to improve women’s situation.

Crystal Dicks and Mike Sikani (COSATU)

A partner in the campaign committed to ensuring 2010 benefits all workers, including those who are unemployed.

Vincent Masango (ACHIB)

ACHIB established in 1986 as an association of street traders,  works as big cooperative, operates in 9 provinces, acts as a wholesaler,  serves small shop owners, traders, small  kiosks, etc. Intends to take WCCA resolutions and information to their members.

Thobekile Radebe (KZN Landless People’s Movement)

Movement started in 2001 in Gauteng; they are fighting for land, to speed up land reform in SA. Fighting for secure land tenures for the farm dwellers. They are fighting against the evictions and forced removal of people from the land. They are members of the international organization Campesina.

Msizeni Magwaza (KZN LPM)

Fighting for the rights of people living on farms, often their rights are marginalized by farm owners, 2010 has been promoting evictions, as landowners change land use purposes, and turn their land into game farms to attract tourists. They are fighting for legislation to protect these people from evictions. Expect to generate solidarity and action.

Mabhelandile Twani (SMI – Sakisizwe Youth Development)

Organization started last year, it is mostly an educational campaign, promotion of jobs for all. Concern about bad economic policies, and high unemployment. Questions how will jobs be created?

Lettie Madosi (SMI – Indy Media)

Organisation started in the 1970s as a community network in Mexico and then later came to SA. Community link network is dealing with the past and transforming for the future, working with those who were traumatized during the struggle, helping people with transportation if they want to go back home.

M’Afrika Sello Tladi (Anti-Privatisation Forum – Gauteng)

Many of those being evicted are young people. Young people are being recruited as volunteers for 2010, they required 10, 000 volunteers- Exploitation! Expects to build solidarity among the other organizations that the street belongs to us the people.

Mzimasi Mngeni (Social Movements Indaba – Western Cape)

The SMI as a movement has a set of demands agreed upon together as Social Movements and together they take action. Big concerns are water issues, waste management. Recruiting people to sign forms to for water access. Coalition against the privatization of water, campaign to spoil the ballot and position don’t vote in elections

Micheal Govender (KZN Subsistence Fishermen Forum)

Issues are the fish limit imposed on fishermen - limit of 5 fish per day, as well as license prices go up 5R each year. Also the licenses are complicated as you need a license for each kind of fish you catch.

Vivienne Lalu (SWEAT)

Works with sex workers in the Informal economy, self employed, they have no labour protection, promote rights for sex workers, decriminalize sex workers. There are concerns regarding the trafficking of women and how govt will approach the topic.

Deena Bosch (Treatment Action Campaign)

Would like to be actively involved in the campaign and work in solidarity with other organizations.

Edwina Smith (New Women’s Movement)

Concern regarding informal settlements/townships. Concerned with unemployment and how women bears the brunt of unemployment.

Nkosinanthi Paul Jikeka  (SACP)

Working with the informal settlements, the development of the city centre in PE is a very stressful development, street vendors are being relocated to areas where they are don’t have good business.

Joshua Boitangalo (Siyagunda Association)

Represents an association of Street Barbers in Durban. Presently working to educate their workers on the bylaws and fighting the municipality to ensure their working conditions are good.

Jabulani Ntseele and Rasta T Qumba (The Eye Street Traders Association)

Fighting for the rights for traders without permits and illegal traders as their right to a livelihood. With 2010 coming there are increased evictions, as Durban prepares to host  2010. The Eye expects to build stronger solidarity among street vendors.

Thabo Maile (Social Movements Indaba – KZN)

At the last National Congress of the SMI they decided to use the opportunity to work together with StreetNet on the WCCA campaign. Wants to build the Social Movement and see the campaign be extended to the youth and students of SA.

Fundile Jalile (Eastern Cape Street Vendors Alliance)

Working towards recognition of the street vendors as workers. Also hoping for unity of the street vendors

Neo Mohoje (NACTU)

Building Construction Union they have affected the workers who are building the stadium, they are exploited due to subcontracting and privatization. They are given poverty wages, concern what the workers will do once the construction is finished. Concerned that women are being left behind.

Eugenia Peter (NACTU)

Works with the workers at Green Point Stadium. She is trying to get more women involved in the construction industry. Concern regarding length of the construction project -- appears they will be done ahead of schedule. Concerned as to what will happen to the workers after the construction.

Sam Khasibe (AFITO)

Calls for unity among the street vendors!  “It’s not a new fight; it’s a fight we have had for a long time”. Need to look into the 2010 bylaws in detail.

Andre Putter (NASC)

Working with the street children’s forum, wants to re-integrate street children into their families. Difficult processes as families often don’t have the resources for sustainable livelihoods.

Ashraf Cassiem (Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign)

Working to stop/prevent evictions, also to empower communities to understand processes of privatization and evictions “No land, no house, and no vote campaign”. As well as 2010 campaign evictions free campaign.

Highlights of the General Discussion:

Ÿ  Alliance between  COSATU and Street Vendors is important because the  municipalities do not take the traders seriously;

Ÿ  Public spaces for women are being threatened, they don’t have the financial background to compete with the cooperatives who can buy together at wholesale prices

Ÿ  Street barbers - in Durban many of them are foreigners, they are not taken seriously, not being heard, their existence is threatened

Ÿ  CBDs  are being rearranged and planned for tourists not  for local residents;

Ÿ  Need to work together, build a stronger alliance among all those affected by 2010

Ÿ  Need to lobby for legislation  that is favourable to the street vendors

Ÿ  Concerns  regarding trafficking of women, and children  during 2010;

Ÿ  Reclaim the power and the spaces that have been lost

Overall the delegates expressed a strong need for all the campaign partners to work together, as well as a desire to build a stronger alliance among street vendors.

Day 2:  Wednesday, March 18^th, 2009

Legal and Other Considerations in Planning the Campaign

The group was divided into 3 different sections, where they received an overview of the specific framework and answered a list of key questions related to the particular framework; later highlights of their discussions were presented to the plenary. The three different sections were:

(i) The FIFA Special Measures Act and Bylaws

(ii) The Host Cities Agreement

(ii) The NEDLAC framework agreement

Highlights of the Small Group Discussions:

(i) The FIFA Special Measures Act and Bylaws

1.      We can engage with govt according to paragraph 6, subsection 4 which states that consultation is obliged.

2.      Paragraph 4; subsection 4 regarding business permits, issue of permits for the traders, without a permit vendors can not trade.

3.      Paragraph 6 is important as it relates to access control measures, without a certain card, one does not have access to the stadiums.

4.      Paragraph 8: search and seizure ( persons in the stadium can be searched at any time)

5.      Paragraph 6: consultation clause, they MUST consult with us, as it’s in their bylaws.

Important to push for consultation before any area becomes designated as a FIFA area. Designated areas are controlled by the FIFA Bylaws

(ii) The Host Cities Agreement

Ÿ  The group felt that the act does not prevent engagement but gives a lot of power to FIFA. still Whenever FIFA asks for something  the municipality  must cooperate, the laws are in favour of FIFA

Ÿ  The agreement makes the municipalities obligated to act and cooperate with FIFA at all times.

Ÿ  No public participation was entertained; we are not consulted in the contract!

Ÿ  The group came to the conclusion that we must engage with the authorities in our own terms.

Ÿ  Comrades encouraged others to read the agreement and familiarize themselves with its content.

(iii) The NEDLAC framework agreement

Ÿ  Nothing for us without us!

Ÿ  Need to resume negotiations with the LOC, WCCA needs to engage with LOC regarding NEDLAC, also ensure compliance as per the agreement.

Ÿ  Even though all the areas which were agreed local govt are not following the agreement as prescribed by NEDLAC

Ÿ  Many areas of NEDLAC are not being following, such as lack of consultation and forced removals.

Ÿ  NEDLAC, like the ILO, can be very powerful but it’s bureaucratic. The question becomes how far we can really use NEDLAC.

Ÿ  NEDLAC is meant to manage the affairs of labour, but they have accepted lower standards, blaming the global financial crisis, and the “need” to use cheap labour.

Highlights from the General Discussion regarding the legalities of 2010:

Ÿ  Given the recent changes women are being unfairly affected, further marginalization of women.

Ÿ  Important to engage the LOC in WCCA’s negotiations

Ÿ  Establish a compliance committee as per the agreement

Ÿ  Monitoring and compliance committee at the host city level should be implemented

Ÿ  Strengthen the WCCA voice and gain proper representation on the LOC

Ÿ  Ensure campaign activities are happening locally

Ÿ  Creation of infrastructure and facilities for the women ( i.e. daycares)

Ÿ  Mobile vendors need to be provided with better infrastructure

Ÿ  Support for traders to be universal across the country, in terms of levels of support

Ÿ  National Alliance of street vendors as per the demands to the municipalities

Ÿ  Point raised regarding the numbers of volunteers FIFA is demanding, it is seen as exploitation. WCCA must demand the Right to Work. South Africans need employment.

Ÿ  South African people are prioritized in legislation; government excludes foreigners, especially those without documentation. Need to support working class people.

Beginning to Plan the Campaign Elements

The plenary was divided into the various different groups:

1.      Educating and Mobilizing Campaign Partners on the Ground

2.      Follow Ups to Preliminary Meetings Held with the municipalities of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Metro, Mbombela

3.      Street Demonstration in Durban

4.      New Engagements with Municipalities of Tshwane, Bloemfontein, Rustenburg, Polokwane

5.      National Host Cities Forum and Provincial Engagements

6.      NEDLAC Framework Agreement- moving forward

7.      2009 Strategy for Confederation Cup

8.      2010 Strategy around Fan Parks and Public Viewing Stations

9.      National Day of Action

1.   Follow Ups to Preliminary Meetings Held with the municipalities of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Metro, Mbombela

Ÿ   Dates should be confirmed for the meetings with municipalities by the end of June

Ÿ   Who to do it? Koli will establish first contacts with municipalities and set up meetings, a preparatory  meeting should be held prior to the meeting with the municipality, so we can speak with a unified voice.

Ÿ   Campaign partners should be involved and present in the meetings.

2.   Street Demonstration in Durban

       Short Term Plans

Ÿ   Picketing – involve the affected

Ÿ   Night Vigils – host cultural activities in front of the municipalities from 7pm to 12am midnight (talk to the taxi drivers to assist in bringing people home at the end of the night)

Ÿ   important to get the media involved to get proper coverage of the event, bring to the attention of the media

Ÿ   Pamphleteering- inform the people, run an educational campaign, targeting the street venders, all the people of the municipality

Ÿ   Outreach/Word of mouth – use community radio stations/meetings/media

Ÿ   Meetings- other structures- taxi drivers, medium and small businesses

Long Term Plans

             Marches and Negotiations with they Municipality

Time Frame - planning session in Durban  23/03 at Diakonia Centre

Strategic Partners: ACHIB, The Eye, SAMWU, IMATU, LPM, Abahlali Basemjondolo, ITMB, Siyagunda Association

3.  Confederation Cup

Ÿ   Takes place in June 2009, very little time to prepare

Ÿ   Youth will also be involved as volunteers

Ÿ   Car attendants should be involved and formalized. Some car attendants are criminals. This job should become formalized, so they are recognized and paid real wages rather than paid through tips.

Ÿ   Free trading for the hawkers should be permitted, since we know that our traders need the business, however,  they are not wanted near the stadiums.

Ÿ   At the stadiums there should be other kinds of local food available, and the vendors who sell it should be given spaces just  as nice as the formalized food vendors.

4.  Host Cities

       Short term

Ÿ   Need to develop a communications line and have constant engagement

Ÿ   Need to engage all the municipalities and monitor their responsiveness

Ÿ   Need to have a centralized governmental forum.

Long term

Ÿ   Monitoring systems must be put into place to ensure municipalities are following regulations. The structures set up for 2010 should not be left unused, but should be able to benefit everyone.

Ÿ   Need compliance from NEDLAC.

Ÿ   Certain clauses need to be implemented

Ÿ   How to involve members? Briefing sessions, organize  a rally, hold open meetings, engage in other forums, organize a workshop to deal with resolutions.

Ÿ   Women should be involved as facilitators, they should be actively involved  in organizing these events, strive for gender balance

Ÿ    Youth should be actively involved.

Ÿ   StreetNet should be  coordinatin all these activities.

5.  Educating and Mobilizing Campaign Partners on the Ground

Presently have a basic foundation, now we need to clarify roles and responsibilities of the partners i.e. develop a partnership agreement.

o   If you sign up for the campaign you commit to X, Y, Z

o   Develop a clear plan

o   Campaign Coordinator to facilitate this process

Mandate of the Campaign – led by those working in the informal economy, but broader to include other poor constituencies.

What’s needed? 

Ÿ  Updated mailing list

Ÿ  Monthly e-newsletter – to be the job of the Campaign Coordinator

Ÿ  Structure – identify key partners in provinces  this meeting to be confirmed

Ÿ  Development of materials on the acts, agreements, progress reports, as well as regarding specific gains/agreements, achievements, all to be distributed to partners.

Ÿ  Pamphlets should be translated

6.  New engagement with municipalities

Ÿ   Short term for 2010 but long term in terms of on-going engagement

Ÿ   How to involve campaign partners? Hold Regular meetings with the campaign partners. StreetNet to organize these meetings.

Ÿ   Involve youth and identify specific roles they can play in the campaign. They can help to distribute the pamphlets to the public, as well through drama and theatre.

7.  Public Viewing Stations

      Short Term: Now till 2010

Long Term: 2010 onward

Ÿ   By the end of April all 9 host cities should have set up 9 local WCCA structures.

Ÿ   Campaign Coordinator needs to be hired immediately. The coordinator to ensure that each city is organized coordinated and supported.

Ÿ   Find information regarding the location, and the proposed infrastructure for the public viewing parks – need to engage with the host cities, to be informed, and then communicate this information to all the campaign partners.

Ÿ   Ensure the structures allow acess to informal traders.

Ÿ   Demand Public Consultation regarding the infrastructure ( consultation to be wide, and go beyond the campaign partners)

Ÿ   Leadership of Women- we must ensure that  women are appointed and put into leadership positions.

Ÿ   Ensure youth  are involved in the process - need to contact youth organizations

Ÿ   Media and Publicity - StreetNet’s website used to popularize the campaign’s activities

Ÿ   All campaign partners to utilize their access to local media.

8.  NEDLAC Framework Agreement - Moving Forward

Ÿ   Agreements have been made and we have been excluded in the activities.

Ÿ   Need to continue to engage  municipalities

9. National Day of Action

             Demands:

·           We want our voices to be heard by the municipalities and  by council/the government

·           We want them to stop the evictions, removing people from their land/homes

·           We want to be recognized and given a voice!

             However, no date proposed for Day of Action.

Planning and Strategizing for the African World Cup

In buzz groups the delegates discussed the following questions:

Ÿ  What can WCCA campaign partners do to make African visitors to South Africa feel welcome before and during 2010?

Ÿ  How can WCCA campaign partners contribute to eradicating/avoiding xenophobic responses when increased numbers of African visitors start coming to South Africa for the World Cup?

Ÿ  How can we spread the WCCA Campaign to SADC countries?

Main Highlights from the Group Discussion:

Ÿ  2010 must become a genuine African World Cup as promised by the South African government, with zero xenophobic issues or concerns.

Ÿ  Together we must ensure that our African visitors feel welcome. South Africa should offer good service to those coming from other countries, be polite and not hostile. We need to treat the foreigners as locals, do as you would like to be treated.

Ÿ   We need to celebrate Africa Day May 25^th, 2009. WCCA Campaign could host a large event to promote zero xenophobia on this day. The event could take place in a big hall or stadium, invite South African and foreign vendors, bring entertainers and then also attract tourists to such an event. The event could become a multicultural event, with song and dance from the various African countries, to promote the cultural diversity of Africa.

Ÿ  After Africa Day plan other multicultural events to promote the wide range of African diversity involved with 2010.

Ÿ  WCCA can run an Awareness Campaign, through public education, including an Anti xenophobia Forum.

Ÿ   Develop welcome reception for the African nationals coming, so as to welcome the foreigners coming in at our borders and airports.

Ÿ  Work with other African trade unions in solidarity for 2010.

Ÿ  Some of the FIFA teams will practise in the neighbouring SADAC countries. To work together with these communities.

Ÿ  WCCA Campaign to lobby govt to stop the illegal prosecutions of foreigners and to stop chasing the foreigners away.  Many foreigners are homelessness, as refugee camps are full. We must push the govt to do something about this situation.

Ÿ  Many foreigners will come to South Africa for work purposes, to work as street vendors. As well many people will leave the rural areas to come to the urban areas. People need to have the right to apply to trade.

Ÿ  We need to look closely at the attacks on our African brothers and sisters. They are being taken advantage of due to their cheap labour. We should build unity among the people and stop the exploitation!

Consolidation of WCCA Plans

Team of Delegates (Nkosinathi Jikeka, Deena Bosch, Fundile Jalile, Nomfezo Mdingi, Laura Roberts) consolidated all the work prepared by sessions 7 & 8 and prepared a draft programme plan.

DAY 3: Thursday, March 19^th, 2009

Presenting a Draft Campaign Programme

Nkosinathi Paul Jikeka presented the work of the committee to the plenary. Shortly thereafter the session was put on hold and a discussion on transport reimbursements took place.

Implementing the Programme on the Ground

Continuation of the discussion of the draft programme presented by Nkosinathi earlier in the morning. Together the plenary decided which organizations would be responsible to do what and certain deadlines were also set. The end result that was approved by the delegates was the following plan (see Annexure C).

Meeting adjourned at 3:30pm.

Compiled by Laura Roberts

Intern based at StreetNet International

February – March 2009 

1.      ANNEXURE A Participant List

2.      ANNEXURE B Programme

3.      ANNEXURE C WCCA Programme Plan 2009

ANNEXURE A

Participant List

ANNEXURE  B

Documentation

1.      Campaign brief developed February 2009

2.      Report of previous campaign meeting

3.      Copies of campaign poster and leaflet

4.      WCCA demands to municipalities

5.      Anything from the LOC????

6.      FIFA South Africa Special Measures Act

7.      FIFA Bylaws in municipalities

8.      Sample Host Cities Agreement

9.      Nedlac framework agreement.

10.  Minutes of meetings with Host Cities

11.  ILO Conclusions on Decent Work and the Informal Economy

12.  Partner contact list

ANNEXURE  C

WCCA CAMPAIGN SOUTH AFRICA

There are numerous ideas and projects regarding what can be done, however, taking into consideration our time constraints and limited resources we are primarily focusing on engaging governments, advocacy, education and support for all Africans coming from poor communities.  All the plans will take into consideration the importance of gender equity, encourage female leadership and the active involvement of youth.

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