The struggles for survival of street traders in Umtata,Transkei, 1980–89

Within the broad theoretical context provided by debates on the subordination of the informal sector to capital, the paper investigates the struggles between communities of street traders and the municipal authorities of Umtata, capital city of Transkei. The study spans the period 1980–89. Themes of concern in the paper are objections to street traders and the adoption of repressive policies towards them, the resistance of street traders and the changing attitudes of the Transkei government and Umtata local authorities towards the operations of hawkers.