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eThekwini puts R260 million into informal trading sites

Published

The eThekwini Municipality announced the investment at its fifth Informal Economy Summit in Durban, where it also recognised 32 informal traders with awards. The money covers capital projects over three financial years, from 2024/25 to 2026/27.

The awards carried total prize money of R224 000. Each winner also received a point-of-sale device from Standard Bank, worth R6 000.

Mayor Cyril Xaba said the informal economy is a critical source of livelihoods and jobs in the city. He said: "The informal economy plays a vital role in the lives of eThekwini residents. It creates employment opportunities, supports families, and grows our local communities".

Around 260 000 people in eThekwini work in the informal sector, based on the Quarterly Labour Force Survey. About 75 000 of them work in informal trade. The city's unemployment rate was 21.2% in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest among South African metros.

Earlier summit commitments led to the refurbishment of more than 200 trading sites.

Key facts

Who
Cyril Xaba (eThekwini Mayor); Thembo Ntuli (Chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee for the…)
What
The eThekwini Municipality highlighted R260 million in capital investment in informal trading infrastructure at its fifth Informal Economy Summit, where 32 traders were also recognised with awards.
When
25 October 2026
Where
eThekwini, Durban
Status
Reported

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