Durban - ON Sunday, street vendor Thobeka Zwide, who has been selling fruit and vegetables from the Durban city centre, beamed.
Since the lockdown, the informal trader was unable to operate as street vendors were not deemed to provide an essential service.
But all that changed after Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, announced on Thursday that spaza shops could open during the lockdown and the government also made provisions for informal traders, like Zwide, to trade.
Dlamini-Zuma said those who sold food informally needed to get a permit from their councillor or the
municipality.
For Zwide, who works from the Anton Lembede (Smith) Street and lives in Umbilo, this was her Easter blessing.
She re-opened her stall, which she has run for five years, on Sunday.
But it then dawned on her, that due to the lockdown, she does not have her regular customers or many customers for that matter.
“A day before the lockdown, I sold most of my stock, which included peppers, onions, potatoes, apples and bananas.
“During the week that I was not able to work, my family and I ate what was not sold.
“I was grateful that we had food. But now, there are not many people on the street and I am worried I will not make enough money to pay our bills.”
She said she would see how the week progressed and would then decide whether it was worth opening.
“I did not buy a lot of stock this time. If the fruit and vegetables are not sold, it will get bad. I, therefore, cannot throw money down the drain when I have a family to support.”
Zwide, who is originally from Umbumbulu, said there were many challenges that street vendors faced.
“People look down on us and they can be rude.
“But because I know and understand this is my livelihood and I depend on people for my business, I don’t allow them to get to me. The support from my loyal customers also makes it
worth it.”
Another challenge, she said, was that the government failed to take them seriously.
“Local government fails to see us the same way as they do formal businesses, forgetting that we also, somehow,
contribute to the economy of the
country.”
Zwide obtained her permit from the eThekwini Municipality in 2017, and because of that, she was able to re-open during the lockdown.
The eThekwini Municipality regulates and issues permits for informal traders in public spaces.