Informal traders will be catered for during the World Cup as they will be able to continue their business in designated high-traffic areas.
INFORMAL traders have an opportunity to score during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the City's department of economic development has drawn up programmes to help them benefit from selling their products on match days.
However, for traders to be part of this scheme, they have to adhere to FIFA rules.
Traders have to adhere to FIFA rules if they want to be part of the scheme
The executive director of Joburg's 2010 Office, Sibongile Mazibuko, explains that it is not the City's intention to disrupt the livelihoods of street traders, particularly those who normally trade in areas zoned as controlled access sites or exclusion zones.
"The City seeks to ensure that trading at these sites is controlled, but also disrupted as little as possible."
Trading are not allowed in exclusion zones around the stadiums on match days, but new opportunities are being created for them to operate in high fan traffic areas. Most traders who work at sporting events are already listed on the department's database and may sell their goods during the football tournament.
Under FIFA rules, host cities must have commercial restriction zones around stadiums and areas of importance during the competition. Mazibuko explains that this is to protect FIFA's commercial affiliates and sponsors from ambush marketing by competing companies that have contributed nothing to the event.
Vendors who will be selling food have over the past year taken part in the department's monthly training programme, which is designed to teach them about food safety, health requirements, food presentation and image of their stalls.
And during the World Cup, the City will also host several parallel events at which accredited traders will be able to sell their goods. These venues will include fan parks, public viewing areas, fan boulevard walkways, MTN Ekasi TV parks, park and ride stops, and drop off zones.
These areas will be strictly monitored and regulated by the City.
Trading sites will be temporary, lasting for the duration of the World Cup only. Vendors will be allowed to sell food, arts and crafts, and soccer merchandise like vuvuzelas, caps, team shirts and flags. But these must be approved by the City and FIFA's rights protection unit.
For more information regarding registration as an informal trader and the procedure to be followed, contact Xolani Nxumalo at the department of economic development on 011 358 3229 or email him on
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