Little is known about the operation of this company, especially about the players in the distribution of second-hand clothing. Understanding government and trade union perspectives on the second-hand clothing trade in South Africa.
THE INFORMAL ECONOMY - DEFINITION, THEORY AND REALITY
The Concept of the Informal Economy
The ILO focus on, for example, the 'dependence on indigenous resources' fails to accommodate changes in the informal economy. There has recently been a shift from an enterprise-based definition of the informal economy to an employment-based definition.
Different Schools of Thought about the Informal Economy
There is a trend in the analysis of the informal economy to use the value chain approach. This is achieved more successfully in the fabric chain than in the second-hand clothing chain.
Informal Economy Policy Interventions
THE CONTEXT . THE SOUTH AFRICAN CLOTHING INDUSTRY AND SECOND HAND CLOTHING TRADE
Second Hand Clothes Trade
There seems to be consensus that private charities in the US, Canada and Europe are the main suppliers of used clothes. Kearney (2000) states that most of the donations of used clothes are sold to traders and exported to developing countries and sold at market prices.
African Clothing Industry and Second Hand Clothes Trade
In Kenya, Wegulo (2002:3) notes that the trade in used clothes is a growing component of the informal economy. SACWTU worked together with the clothing and textile industry in South Africa to lobby against the importation and trade of used clothes.
METHODOLOGY
- Initial Scan of Trading Areas
- Interviews with Street Traders: The Process
- Interviews with Street Traders: The Content
- Interviews with Suppliers
- Stakeholder Interviews - The Trade Unions and the State
This can be attributed to the fact that some foreigners do not have appropriate documents to be in South Africa and are therefore suspicious that the researcher could provide information to the Department of Home Affairs. Sometimes it took longer because the respondents had a lot to share and the researcher was willing to listen and record the relevant information. Recorders help the researcher remember events and observe what is not happening or non-responses that are easy to miss (Neuman.
During the interview, the researcher also used observation. for example, clothing labels were looked at to confirm the source. This means that the researcher gained access to more shops in Pinetown than in Durban. The researcher made appointments to see the key informants after discussing the objectives of the study with each of them by phone and through a series of emails.
The researcher interviewed an official of the International Textile and Leather Workers Union (ITGLWF). The interview provided valuable information about the position of the trade unions regarding the distribution and trade of used clothing. For more information and relevant documents on the position of trade unions, the researcher was referred to the Trade Union Research Project (TURP) based at the University of Natal-Durban.
THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
The Government's Perspective
It is important to note that the sale of used clothes in the country is not seen as a threat to the clothing industry. They share the perspective that the trade in second-hand clothes causes significant job losses in South Africa's clothing and textile industry. He argued that the trade in used clothes was among the factors that led to the loss of jobs in the clothing industry.
34;The locally produced second-hand clothing does not pose a threat to the clothing and textile industry and employment for South Africans. Because churches are also considered charitable organizations, they are allowed to import second-hand clothing for the poor. 34;We noticed the growth in the influx of and trade in second-hand clothing and lobbied against it in the mid-1990s.
We pressured the government to allow the search of containers and the confiscation of illegally imported second-hand clothes." They claim that the achievements are the result of their fight against the trade in second-hand clothes. In May 2000, the Tariff and Trade Committee changed the rebate item that allows welfare organizations to levy free import of used clothes.
Conclusion
SECOND HAND CLOTHES TRADERS IN DURBAN - WHO ARE THEY?
- Educational background
- Previous Work Activities
- Current Residence and Place of Origin
- Financial Responsibility for a Household
- Conclusion
Second-hand clothing dealers tended not to operate in the areas previously designated for whites. This contradicts Hunter and Skinner's (2002:16) assertion that foreign traders trade in new, often imported, commercially made clothing, while South African traders traded in pinafores (made by informal street traders) and second-hand clothes. It was observed that foreigners were selling second-hand clothes of good quality compared to South African dealers.
It has been discovered that South African second hand street vendors do not like foreigners. Regarding gender, as mentioned above, the initial scan showed that there were very few male traders selling used clothes. This shows the high level of education of the street traders with used clothes.
Three respondents were government employees, while five others did nothing before selling used clothes. This chapter showed that there are a number of street vendors of second-hand clothes, but it was difficult to establish exact numbers due to the mobility of the vendors. There are also traders from other foreign African countries involved in the distribution of used clothes.
SECOND HAND CLOTHING TRADERS BUSINESSES
- Length of Operating
- Start up Capital
- Choice of Stock
- Self Employed or Employee
- Selling Elsewhere
- Daily Records
- Organisational Affiliation
- Source of Stock
- Formal Business Suppliers
- Shift to local Second Hand Clothes
- Traders Assessment of the Business and Future Plans
- Relations with Government and Priority Policy Interventions
- Conclusion
Through the income I generate in this business, I managed to educate all my children, currently they have decent jobs." These frequencies were important in determining the job creation potential of the second-hand clothing trade. In this example, second-hand clothing created job opportunities for nine respondents and empowered 31 to be independent and own the business.
Half of respondents said they keep daily records of their business, while half said this is not the case. I believe they are ruthless because of the changes in the government of South Africa. Few people come into contact with suppliers and we happen to buy from them.'
This is an illegal operation by the suppliers and that is the reason why they are not known.". Even if I sell a bale at the prescribed price, my customer can still make enough money because we made them cheap to accept them. ". I bring them out of containers at the port of Durban, sort them in the shop and sell them to the public."
Maybe people don't have enough money to buy our stock because many people are unemployed.". In this way I lose because sometimes I don't get the profit or even the money I paid to buy the bale.".
CONCLUSION
Informal Economy Theory
Research shows that supply linkages are complex involving a variety of actors, not all of whom are in the informal economy. Their support for a complete relaxation of the rules could mean in this case that there should be no rules governing the importation of used clothes. As already indicated, this is likely to harm jobs in the formal garment manufacturing sector.
Since second-hand clothing is a finished product, parts of this argument do not apply to this case. However, it can be argued that the distribution of second-hand clothing satisfies poorer consumers, reinforcing the tendency towards greater specialization in the South African clothing industry. Since many people in South Africa are unemployed, trading in second-hand clothes offers them a way to survive.
Regarding the value chain approach, it was previously stated that this study will only focus on identifying the links in this activity by indicating who the stakeholders are in the second-hand clothing trade. Information about who does what until second-hand clothing reaches the end consumer at. It was successful in finding that the South African second-hand clothing trade does not only include overseas second-hand clothing, but also includes local clothing and even a combination of the two.
Policy Recommendations
This is because it was very difficult to get suppliers and it was clear that they do not want to be found. There are also young entrepreneurs in this activity who are recommended to study further and acquire skills that will enable them to live a better life. Training interventions are important because it will help them improve their businesses or pursue their dreams, which may be different from this activity.
Training should be set up to help traders who want to continue dealing in second-hand clothing. The council has provided accommodation for street traders on West and Smith Streets as well as along the Early Morning Market, making life easier for traders. Providing shelter is likely to significantly improve the environment in which traders work.
These shelters must not only protect traders and their goods from bad weather conditions such as rain and sun, but also include a way for traders to hang their clothes.
Areas for Future Research
1999) "Prospects for increasing collective efficiency among small and medium-sized furniture producers in the Greater Portshe area; pstone of KwaZulu-Natal Province." Master's Dissertation in Social Sciences. 2000) "Study of International Competition and Value Chains in Selected Manufacturing Sectors: Informalization in the KwaZulu-Natal Garment Sector." Research Report No. International Labor Organization (ILO) Women and Men in the Informal Economy: A Statistical Overview." Employment Sector.
International Federation of Textile Garments and Leather Workers Africa, “The Effects of Secondhand Clothing on Zambia.” in ITS Africa News Development economics: coping with new challenges, especially globalization. " New Agenda. 1998) "Women Street Traders in Urban South Africa: A Synthesis of Selected Research Findings." CSDS Research Report No. Center for Social and Development Studies. 2000) "Subsectoral Study of the Informal Economy: An Examination of the Linkages Between Formal and informal businesses in the garment industry in the Durban CBD.".
2000) "Successful SMEs in South Africa: The Case of Garment Manufacturers in the Witwatersrand." Development of South Africa. SACTWU (2000) South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union Eightieth National Congress Report Understanding Formal and Formal Economy Labor Market Dynamics: A Conceptual and Statistical Review with Reference to South Africa." CSDS Research Report No. Standing, G Global Feminization through Flexible Work: A Revisited Theme." World development. http://www.tvindalert.org.uk/companies/planetaiduk.htm Shoes for All: A Study of Nakuru Used Shoe Dealers and the Environment in which They Operate.".
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