Matsapha Municipality values all business people located within the town. The town’s development is not only defined by the infrastructure, but also the people living in the urban space. To ensure that growth in all aspects is covered, Matsapha Municipality established a unit, under the Environmental and Public Health wing, which focuses on the management of informal markets in the town.
The management of informal markets requires that the Informal Traders themselves are trained and empowered to run their businesses successfully. Matsapha municipality therefore, introduced an Informal Traders Workshop, held annually. The aim of the workshop is to educate and conduct annual review of the Matsapha Town’s informal trade activities. On the 3rd of November 2018 the Council hosted the 6th Annual Informal Trader’s Workshop, at the Matsapha Civic Centre, under the theme “Connecting Informal Traders and Moving Forward Together”.
These workshops was essential as it provided a platform for Council to discuss other pertinent issues with the Informal Traders which may possibly hinder growth of businesses. The workshop was designed to achieve the following objectives:
- To hold sustained dialogues between Matsapha Town Council and the Informal Traders;
- Highlight the importance of the Matsapha Town’s Informal Trading Legislation & Policy Frameworks;
- To empower informal traders on how to transition from informal sector to formal trade.
In the past couple of years Matsapha annual Informal trader’s conference focus has been on building the capacity of traders to improve their ability to manage their businesses; to improve the quality and diversity of the product range; and finally to grow and find new markets. The workshop last year managed to reach 313 vendors, who were also availed the opportunity to access health services offered by the Council’s mobile clinic. Matsapha Town Council aims to contribute to the growth and success of Matsapha Informal Traders.
