The impact of spatial contestation between street hawkers/traders and pedestrians on vehicular traffic flow : investigating the Durban Central Business District

Abstract

Street trading has been identified as a critical pillar to the informal sector economy although trading activities which mainly take place on sidewalks impeding pedestrian movement; and also, these activities are perceived to generate traffic congestion. Negative aspects of street trading include contestation for space, particularly on the sidewalks and ultimately vehicular congestion due to pedestrian/traders spilling over onto the carriageway. These aspects mostly overshadow the benefits accrued from street trading activities, such as providing livelihood support for many people. Using Durban Central Business District (CBD) as a case study, the objectives of the research included investigating the impact of spatial contestation between street hawkers and pedestrians on vehicular traffic flow. Moreover, the study aimed at evaluating the measures employed by city authorities in response to street trading. Lastly, to evaluate and propose strategies to integrate street vending in pedestrian walkway design facilities, both locally and internationally. The research adopted quantitative and qualitative research approach to provide an in-depth theoretical and empirical basis premised on strong support in terms of different case studies used as examples to inform the research and the regulatory and policy framework. The findings were that in the case of the Durban CBD, spatial contestation between pedestrians and street hawkers did not necessarily cause vehicular congestion as many researchers argued, due to proper physical planning, including wider sidewalks and broad carriageways. Hence, the study argued that the impact of street trading on vehicular traffic flow was dependent on spatial arrangement and development of the subject area. The study revealed that on a global scale, street trading was not an illegal business. However, tension prevails between street trading and the space where the activity occurs. Since most developing countries have developed the tendency of adopting urban forms that meet the standards of the developed world, the realities pertaining to the grounds that street trading is a lawful enterprise are often discounted. Hence, to achieve the standards of the developed world, most city authorities adopt an exclusionary approach aimed at exterminating street traders, both licensed and unlicensed, without success as most traders return to their former trading spot over time after the exercise subsides. The exclusionary tools aimed at street traders often manifest in the form of forced eviction and criminalisation; relocation without consultation; confiscation of merchandise; the use of hostile and ambiguous laws and policies; long procedures to obtain permits; high rental and registration fees; and the use of media and the public to demonise the activities of street traders. Examples of such cases are the 2014 FIFA World Cup exclusionary zones in Baianas do Acarajé Brazil; Zimbabwe's Operation Murambatsvina; Ghana's Decongestion exercise and Johannesburg' Operation Clean Sweep.