Including the marginalised in the economy must go further than just permits

Share current article via Email Share current article via Facebook Share current article via Twitter Share current article via LinkedIn Matatiele mayor Patrick Stuurman handed over 242 trading permits to hawkers in Matatiele this week in a bid to formalise street trading in the town. SA is deep in the throes of poverty, unemployment and inequality. The triple challenges are even more pronounced in our deeply rural province. This publication has reported on mothers killing their children and later taking their own lives due to poverty. The country's unemployment rate stands at 33.6%, according to the second quarter of 2026 Quarterly Labour Force Survey. The Eastern Cape is the worst, with an unemployment rate reaching 47.5%. However, the unemployment rate combined with potential labour force puts that number at 54.1%. Given this background, any legitimate effort to put food on the table should be encouraged. We welcome the recent issuing of trading permits to Matatiele's hawkers. That action, while it might be seen as a small gesture, will go a long way in uplifting several households in the town. It is indeed a victory for those individuals who have been working hard to survive and build livelihoods despite difficult economic conditions. For too long, informal traders have been treated as if they are a problem to be managed rather than entrepreneurs who contribute meaningfully to our local economy. These men and women wake up every day, create employment for themselves, support their families and keep money circulating within our communities. Others have even sent their children to universities out of the money generated selling goods on the streets. They deserve recognition, dignity and meaningful support from government. The issuing of these permits is an important step towards correcting the historical neglect of informal traders. But let us be clear: a permit must not be the end of the journey — it must be the beginning. Government has a responsibility to ensure that hawkers have safe and properly serviced trading spaces, access to basic infrastructure, business development support and opportunities to participate in the broader local economy. We cannot speak about economic transformation while leaving thousands of hardworking people on the margins. Politicians and administrators must stand firmly with the working poor and ensure that local economic development is not reserved for those who already have resources and influence. Development must reach the streets, the markets and the small traders who are building their livelihoods from the ground up. The hawkers of Matatiele have shown resilience and determination. Now government must match that determination with action. Today, the community celebrates the permits. Tomorrow, they must fight for better trading conditions, greater economic opportunities and a local economy that works for everyone — not just the privileged few. This is what inclusive development should look like — government opening doors, removing unnecessary barriers and giving citizens a fair opportunity to succeed. And such steps must be replicated in every ward, district, metro and village. Click here to join the Daily Dispatch's WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phone Daily Dispatch