Gaborone City Council is working around the clock to create good relations with the rising informal sector, which on several occasions has been on the brink of collapse.
Accused of operating illegally on the streets, the informal sector has faced pressure from the Gaborone City.
“We can not ignore the important role the informal sector plays. Each and every economy be it America or South Africa depends on the sector for economic and political growth,” said GCC mayor, Haskins Nkayigwa, at a press briefing, adding that one challenge facing the sector was the environment from which they operate business which leaves much to be desired.
“We end up chasing them away when in actual fact we know how life is difficult nowadays on their side as they try to make ends meet. Against this backdrop we would as GCC form associations with them and set standards of services and environment they operate from,” Nkayigwa said.
With the allocation of space still a problem, GCC is however hopeful of securing land for the informal sector. This would come alongside provision of dining tables and chairs.
“The management is trying hard over this issue even though things seem to go slow. We would like to see the end of the fighting between the informal sector and the Council by-law enforcers,” the Babusi ward councillor noted, acknowledging at the same time the conflicting laws and interests between his institution and the health officials as provided in the public health Act.
While the health public Act disallows street vendors for public health reasons, councillors insist the services by the informal sector could be provided under strict and secure environment.
“We would meet with the officials and map the way forward,” Nkayigwa promised the audience at the meeting attended by scores of sitting councilors whose constituents predominantly form the informal sector.
Angry at the local government’s decision to chase them away from the streets of Gaborone for public health reasons, the informal sector, comprising mainly of street vendors, stormed GCC on several times in recent years demanding they be afforded space to operate from.
Nkayigwa would not want to see the same scenario happen under his leadership.
He is also optimistic of creation of space for the street sellers trading with magapu and mmidi which commodities would in the near future be seen sold in the City on a reserved space especially for Batswana.
Faced with economic hardships in their respective villages and townships, unemployed citizens especially the youths crowd the City in search of green pastures only to remain jobless and eventually join the already stretched informal sector just to make ends meet.
