YEOVILLE STUDIO IN THE YEOVILLE TRADING TASK TEAM

Based on intense and diversified research conducted on trading in Yeoville through the Studio, Yeoville Studio participated in a process organised by the City of Johannesburg, market traders, street traders, the YSF, the YBCDT and SANTRA, to discuss issues around informal trading and possibilities for better accommodating street trading in Yeoville. Street trading had been made illegal since 2009 in Rockey Raleigh, Yeoville main street; but was nevertheless continuing and developing, testimony both to high levels of unemployment but also a vibrant market and street life.

A Yeoville Trading Task Team was constituted, aimed at finding integrated trading solutions by including all stakeholders in a process driven by the City of Johannesburg. Yeoville Studio could participate as an observer in the team. It presented its research findings and recommendations that were discussed by the Task Team. However, as it quickly appeareds that the balance was not even and street traders lacked the resources to consolidate a voice to defend their position, Yeoville Studio offered to facilitate a workshop for street traders, a principle accepted by the Task Team. This workshop led the street trader to formulate a manifesto, which they presented in the subsequent Trading Task Team meeting.

Due to this positionning however, some market trader leaders started seeing Yeoville Studio as 'the enemy', and attacked the Studio as being biased. A letter was sent in response. A market design workshop which had been plannedwas cancelled. Furthermore, the Trading Task Team was soon disbanded, as the YSF and YBCDT contested the municipal chairing as a non neutral facilitation.

Broader discussions on street trading policy in the whole inner city, continued between CUBES and street trader organisations, in the years following the Studio.