The objective of the article was to evaluate the measures employed by city authorities in response to street trading using qualitative research and case study approach from spatial perspective. As most countries aim at meeting the standards of the urban forms similar to that of the developed countries, the most common approach often adopted by most city authorities is exclusionary management approach, often informed by the challenges posed by street trading. However, in most cases, the use of exclusionary management practices has not been successful as traders return to their previous trading after the exercise due to their inability to find alternative sites or jobs. Thus, the need to adopt an alternative approach to deal with the challenges associated with street trading, and to harness the benefits of street trading is paramount. Against this backdrop, the article sheds light on the benefits of street trading, and inclusionary management practices toward street trading.
Evidently, street trading has become entrenched in our urban space, livelihood support for many, but also poses a challenge to the urban landscape. Hence, the aim of the paper was to assess the benefits and the challenges that characterise street trading, and how they have informed the management approach towards street trading in Durban. The research adopted a mixed research approach to accomplish the research objectives. The survey revealed that the challenges (59.47% of the respondents) posed by street trading were greater than the benefits (57.43% of the respondents) posed by street trading. However, of all the perception indicators, street traders as a source of employment received the most favourable response. Out of the 308 respondents, 306, representing 99.35% agreed to the idea that street trading provides employment.
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