Assessing coping strategies of female street traders during COVID-19 in the City of UMhlathuze, Kwa-Zulu Natal.
The informal economy is an essential part of the Global South. Over the years it has provided an opportunity for many to become essential economic and social actors, a majority of these being women. Street traders are susceptible to, among others, socio economic shocks, crime, and income irregularity. This means in the case of a disturbance to normal operations; street traders must adapt to ensure that they retain their livelihoods. Against this backdrop, this study assesses the coping strategies of female street traders during the COVID-19 pandemic in the City of UMhlathuze, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The specific objectives of the study are to, a) analyse street trading operations of female informal economic operators in the City of UMhlathuze, b) examine the capital, infrastructural and political challenges experienced by female street traders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of UMhlathuze, c) analyse the coping strategies used by female street traders during the COVID-19 pandemic in the City of UMhlathuze, and d) assess the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on female street traders in the study area. This research uses Feminist Marxism and Feminist Intersectionality as the theoretical lenses to critically analyse the coping strategies of FSTs in the City of UMhlathuze during the COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of methodology, the study employed a qualitative approach with 43 purposively sampled Female Street Traders (FSTs) interviewed at KwaDlangezwa, Empangeni CBD, and Alkantstrand Beach. The study found that in the City of UMhlathuze the nature of street trading operations for FSTs includes trading in second-hand clothes, cooked food, fruit, and vegetables. The findings of this study also show that within the City of UMhlathuze, FSTs faced capital, operational and political challenges which impacted their operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges included increased procurement prices, inadequate infrastructure, and the lack of street trading permits. In response to these challenges, FSTs had to modify their operations by becoming mobile, altering the nature of their trade or in some instances working together. This study proposes that FSTs should form networks that can be beneficial to them in times of crisis. The research also recommends that government departments should consider the needs of FSTs in disaster management so that future policies and responses do not marginalize FSTs.
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