Hawkers in South Africa's small urban centres: Planning and policy

The development of strategies for the ‘appropriate management’ of urban growth applies with equal force to small and to large urban centres. In this paper one key aspect in the evolution of appropriate management strategies in South Africa's smaller urban centres is addressed, namely the policy attitudes and practices towards hawkers. Against a background review of the international experience of changing attitudes towards street traders, empirical material is presented on local policies and planning regarding hawkers in a cross‐section of South Africa's smaller urban centres. Although the overall picture is dominated by the reluctance of urban authorities to innovate accommoda‐tionist planning, some interesting exceptions are noted.

Notes

Formerly Junior Research Fellow, Department of Geography, University of the Witwaters‐rand. Currently Assistant Professor, Department of Geography & Regional Studies, The George Washington University, Washington DC.

Associate Professor and Reader in Human Geography, Department of Geography, University of the Witwatersrand.