Trading conditions for 33 informal traders and entrepreneurs who were previously operating under makeshift stalls have been transformed for the better following the official opening of the automotive hub and informal trading stalls by eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda on 13 May 2021.

The R 22 million state- of the-art project is the first of its kind in the country to house and formalise the informal trading sector, it will not only spruce up the landscape and scenery of eZimbuzini precinct, but it has also changed trading conditions of local traders.

Mayor Kaunda said that this project forms part of the Municipality’s efforts of accelerating township economy.

“Umlazi is one of the critical economic nodes for the City and the Municipality will continue to invest millions of rands to ensure that the economic spin offs of the City are spread throughout the Municipality. In line with the Municipality’s Radical Economic Transformation Programme, during the construction phase of this project, 16 local Sub-Contractors were given business opportunities and we were able to create 50 job opportunities for locals,” said Kaunda.

For the automotive hub, the Municipality invested R 42.7 million which is responding to the challenge faced by most informal businesses in township of operating in the residential area back yards, illegally occupied vacant government land and closer to taxi ranks.

“This facility is in line with the government’s Industrialisation Strategy to support small enterprises, including black industrialists in township and rural areas to create decent jobs in places where people live. We have also brought this investment in this area to encourage and support locally produced goods and services and promote the Buy Local Campaign,” added Kaunda.