livelihoods & urban form: mumbai in a comparative perspective session 5: february 25...
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LIVELIHOODS & URBAN FORM:MUMBAI IN A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE
SESSION 5: FEBRUARY 25INTERROGATING BEST PRACTICES # 1
WARWICK JUNCTIONDURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
MARTY CHENLECTURER IN PUBLIC POLICY, HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL
AFFILIATED PROFESSOR, HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF DESIGNINTERNATIONAL COORDINATOR, WIEGO NETWORK
TAKEAWAYS FROMLAST SESSION
Policies & Informal Economy– rethinking formalization formalization debate
narrowly defined: shift to formal jobs + regulation & taxation broadly defined: regulation/taxation + protection + promotion, often
sector-specific debates re street vendors
arguments for vs. against street vendors persecution + regulation vs. tolerance + promotion
Planning & Informal Economy – rethinking planning flexible, mobile, provisional social infrastructure vs. normative linear
planning (Simone) uncentralized networks and patterns vs. planned grid of administrative
centralization (Scott)
STATUS REPORTS ONLITERATURE REVIEWS
Construction workers
Garment workers
Home-based workers
Street vendors
Waste pickers
TODAY’S CLASS
Best Practice Example # 1: Warwick Junction, Durban, South Africa pre-city project city project post-city project Class Discussion: what strikes you as the most innovative aspects of this
example? what are your main takeaways? what questions do you have? Urban Informal Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa (Meagher 1995)
differentiation within the informal economy: 2 strata role of social networks links with the formal sector role of the state in the informalization process►framework for analysis of specific groups of informal workers in
Mumbai – and elsewhere
WARWICK JUNCTION
city precinct on edge of the Durban's CBD primary public transport interchange in the city:
460, 000 commuters per day on average natural market for street vendors: given confluence of
rail, taxi and bus transport Markets of Warwick: www.marketsofwarwick.org.za
5000-8000 vendors 9 distinct marketslargest informally structured market in a public space most authentic African market in South Africa
WARWICK JUNCTION:MID-1800s TO MID-1990s
1860: 300 migrants from India arrived in the Natal Colony to work as indentured laborers
1872: Indian migrant named Aboobaker Jhaveri set up first trading store and later a bazaar and the Jama Masjid Mosque in the Warwick Junction area
by 1930s: Warwick Junction area was major shopping, trading and business center
1948: National Party enacted legislation to restrict black economic activity in so-called “white areas”
by 1960s: street vending prohibited in Durban 1973: Natal Ordinance allowed vendors to occupy a space for 15 minutes =
“move-on law” 1980s: more liberal Progressive Federal Party came to power in Durban –
commissioned survey of street traders began to allow street vending 1991: Department of Informal Trade and Small Business Opportunities
established 1994: national elections of first democratic government in South Africa
WARWICK JUNCTION:POST-1994
New Constitution: the democratic government in South Africa set up three spheres of
government: national, provincial and local local governments;
given new freedoms & new tasks underwent political & administrative restructuring
Durban Municipality: 1999: set up Warwick Junction Urban Renewal Project 2001: restructured into a larger municipality called eThekwini Municipality
Self-Employed Women’s Union (SEWU) established in 1994 with headquarters in Durban early active branch of street vendors in Warwick Junction
Informal Traders’ Management Board (ITMB) set up in 1995 as umbrella organization of informal traders for Municipal
Council to deal with
WARWICK JUNCTIONURBAN RENEWAL PROJECT
1995: establishment of Project aim: To improve quality of urban environment in Warwick
Junction area: safety & security + cleanliness + functionality + economic opportunities
institutional location: within Council, in Urban Design Department
operating structure: 3 teams (planning, implementation, operations) drawing on staff from the different departments of the municipality + urban council officials
Project Center: old warehouse in the center of Warwick Junction – used as office + venue for meetings with informal traders
1996: first task - operation clean-up
WARWICK JUNCTIONURBAN RENEWAL PROJECT
Project Components: communications: marketing the “new” Warwick to
change people’s perceptions (not site of crime-and-grime)
knowledge & information about the informal economy spatial design & built environment furniture & equipment design capacity building & voice of informal workers
Project Fundamentals: area-based & inter-departmental committed to participation & consultation
herb market
bovine head cooks
mealie cooks
brook street market
1996 2010
Context: Warwick Junction
© Presentation restricted titled audience only. March 2014
Photo and Drawing Credits: Richard Dobson, Dennis Gilbert, Gerald Botha, Andrew Griffin, Tasmi Quazi Mxolisi Cele, Barbra Van Zyl , Tamryn Coats, Terence Hogden
www.aet.org.za
MARKETS OF WARWICK
http://www.marketsofwarwick.co.za/markets-of-warrick-gallery
BARROW OPERATORS IN WARWICK JUNCTION
BARROW OPERATORS IN WARWICK JUNCTION
CARDBOARD RECYCLERSIN WARWICK JUNCTION
ASIYE eTAFULENI(“A Seat at the Table”)
NGO that collaborates with informal workers and allied professionals to develop inclusive urban spaces to support sustainable livelihoods for informal workers
Co-founded by the two leaders of the Warwick Junction Urban Renewal Project Richard Dobson – former leader of Warwick Junction Project,
architect and planner Patrick Ndlovu – former area manager of Warwick Junction
Project, former police officer
www.aet.org.za
ASIYE eTAFULENI
Timeline of key achievements and milestones:2008 – Founding of Asiye eTafuleni and commencement of the Inclusive Cities project;2010 – Launch of the Markets of Warwick Tour in conjunction with the 2010 World Cup World Class Cities for All Campaign;2011 – Legal victories to preserve Warwick Junction’s historic Early Morning Market and prevent development of mall in the area2011 – Mail and Guardian ‘Drivers of Change Award’2012 – First external competitive commission – Imagine Durban Inner-City Informal Recycling Project and AfriSam-South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) Award2012 – AeT is chosen as a local research partner for the Informal Economy Monitoring Study – the first global, multi-year study on the informal economy.2013 – AeT and WIEGO “Safe Warwick” (Phephanati) project wins a Rockefeller Foundation Centennial Innovation Award2015 – legal victory for street vendors
COURT VICTORY FOR WARWICK JUNCTION STREET VENDOR
High Court of South Africa, KwaZulu Natal Local Division, Durban judgment on February 15, 2015 compensation to street vendor for the
confiscation goods in the sum of R775confiscation of street vendor goods declared
“unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid”
►Legal Precedent for All Street Vendors
COURT VICTORY FOR WARWICK JUNCTION STREET VENDOR
John Makwicana, above and on the far right next to AeT co-founders, Richard Dobson and Patrick Ndlovu outside the High Court after the Court victory. Photo: www.aet.org.za./landmark-legal-case-defending-informal-workers-rights/
ROLE OF WIEGO:GLOBAL ACTION-RESEARCH-POLICY NETWORK
In-Country Support: WIEGO Team members in South Africa….
conducted 1997 survey of street vendors in Durban & South Africa
served as resource persons & researchers for Warwick Junction Project
built supportive research team at University of KwaZulu Natal
motivated allies for advocacy & litigation
collaborated on joint research, action & advocacy
served as technical advisors to – and on board of - Asiye eTafuleni (AeT)
International Support: WIEGO…
collaborated on global Inclusive Cities project with AeT and StreetNet International (headquartered in Durban)
collaborates on & built capacity for joint research projects: Informal Economy Monitoring Study, Universal Health Care for Informal Workers, Technology & Future of Work, Informal Economy Budget Analysis
provides sustainability planning & fund raising support to AeT
helped found StreetNet International & provided support to SEWU (and its successor organization SASEWA)
International “Spot-Light”
showcases Warwick Junction as good practice example
convened events in Durban: notably, 2006 WIEGO General Assembly & 2 Exposure Dialogues
documents & disseminates Warwick Junction case (as in this course!!)
creates opportunities for joint advocacy: e.g. World Urban Forums
highlights “good” & “bad” policies & practices of Durban-eThekwini municipality & national government in South Africa
INTERROGATING WARWICK CASE
what strikes you as… the most innovative aspects of this case? the weaknesses of this case?
what questions do you have?
what are your main takeaways?
URBAN INFORMAL SECTOR IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (Meagher 1995)
Overview of Theoretical approaches to the “Informal Sector” Early Neo-Liberal and Marxist: comprised of survivalists on the margin New Neo-Liberal & Economic Crisis of the State: has dynamic potential to play a
central role in the economy Marxist Reappraisals & Global Economic Crisis: informal sector involved in a
variety of capital/labor relationships (as employers, own account operators, laborers) & part of a historical process of “ups and downs” of capitalism
Informalization Approach: primary focus on sub-contracting in manufacturing, more so than self-employment & services sector
Reassessment of the Informal Sector in Africa Differentiation & Characteristics Role of Social Networks Linkages with Formal Sector Role of the State
URBAN INFORMAL SECTOR IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (Meagher 1995)
Differentiation & Characteristics two strata:
top 20%: owners of enterprises with skill- and capital-intensive enterprises
bottom 80%: “informal proletariat” (own account operators + commission agents + limited numbers of informal labourers)
Role of Social Networks – indigenous ethnic or religious networks positive role: cohesion, shared norms & economic infrastructure +
insulate informal workers from market forces negative role: logic of networks works to the advantage of the
employer or lead enterprise + to the exploitation of workers or subordinated enterprises
URBAN INFORMAL SECTOR IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (Meagher 1995)
Linkages with Formal Sector relative lack of forward linkages: limited by poor quality and unreliability of
informal sector production: i.e. lack of integration, not exploitation►concentration in low-income saturated markets
Presence of disadvantaged backward linkages: for supplies and inputs, including imported goods and often involving exploitative relationships
Role of the State – ambiguous or inconsistent policies of the state rooted in something more complex than ignorance or lack of policy
coordination represents an implicit encouragement of informalization
►creates climate suitable for creation of exploitative structures of informality: ► generates gaps in the legal structure permitting stronger economic actors to
make use of informal labor + creates pools of surplus labor
URBAN INFORMAL SECTOR IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA (Meagher 1995)
Conclusion the market is incapable of generating the dynamic potential of the informal sector the expansion of informality in Africa, on the scale found in many African countries,
cannot develop without the complicity of the state the successful operation of informal enterprises requires a supportive formal or
informal institutional environment
What do you think of Meagher’s analysis & conclusions?
Meagher’s political-economy framework is useful to keep in mind when conducting the analyses of your respective occupational groups in Mumbai. differentiation & characteristics of informal employment: which strata? role of social networks: e.g. caste and religion in Mumbai links with formal sector: backward & forward; exploitative? role of state: based on ignorance, lack of policy cohesion or complicity?
GOOD LUCK!