Zim GBC News | Gender and Community
Amid the vibrant chaos of Harare’s city streets, where vendors sell everything from fresh produce to electronics, a sophisticated and invisible system of self-governance is at work, allowing the informal sector to thrive despite a hostile regulatory environment, a new study has revealed.
With Zimbabwe’s economy remaining unstable for decades, street trading has become a dominant source of livelihood for thousands. However, operating largely without licences, these traders are constant victims of municipal raids and displacement. The research, conducted by an urban geographer, shifts the focus from this state repression to the intricate internal rules and social norms the traders have developed to maintain order and access to lucrative spaces.
“Informality is not the absence of order. It is a different kind of order, rooted in everyday negotiation, social trust, and the shared struggle to survive in an unequal city,” the researcher concluded.
The study, which drew on interviews and focus groups with traders in the central business district, found that the most critical rule is consistency. Vendors often occupy the same spot for years, or even decades, to build customer loyalty and assert their informal claim to the space.
“I stay in the same spot so that people always know where to find me,” one vendor explained.
“When everyone sticks to their usual place, it reduces disputes.”
This practice, a form of “quiet encroachment,” becomes socially recognized by other traders. The research uncovered an informal hierarchy where senior traders act as custodians and mediators. New entrants cannot simply start selling; they must undergo an informal “street apprenticeship” and seek approval from the established vendors.
“No one can just occupy the space without our permission,” a female trader asserted, highlighting the peer-enforced control system.
Access to trading spots is also deeply influenced by social capital and kinship. Many traders inherit their positions from family members, making street trading an intergenerational practice.
“The study also uncovers how social capital – networks of trust, kinship and friendship – plays a central role in accessing space,” the report noted.
One participant shared that she joined the trade at her grandmother’s old spot after losing her formal job.
However, this self-created system is not without its flaws. It can reinforce existing inequalities. The study found that power is unevenly distributed, with long-term, well-connected vendors dominating profitable areas. Men often control riskier but more lucrative spots near transport hubs, while women, often balancing caregiving duties, are pushed to less visible areas. Persons with disabilities face additional hurdles, relying on others to protect their spot.
There are also reports of aggressive tactics, with some established vendors “chasing away” newcomers or even tipping off municipal police to remove competitors.
Despite these challenges, the research paints a picture of remarkable resilience and self-organisation. The traders are not merely victims of a repressive system but are active agents building complex structures of order and reciprocity.
The researcher argues that City authorities should recognize these informal governance systems as legitimate.
“Understanding this duality is crucial for policymakers who wish to design fairer urban policies,” the study advises, warning that ignoring these systems could lead to greater conflict and deepen urban inequalities.
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