Durban traders get their say as eThekwini rewrites the rules that govern their stalls
The city opens a month of by-law review roadshows on Tuesday, with the first session at the iTRUMP Hall in the CBD and traders invited to shape amendments to rules promulgated in 2014.
eThekwini’s informal traders get their first chance to rewrite the rules they trade under on Tuesday, when the municipality opens a month of consultation on the by-laws that govern street trading and retail markets.
The first Informal Trade and Retail Markets By-law Review Roadshow is set for the iTRUMP Hall in Durban’s central business district on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, starting at 10am. Traders and sector stakeholders are invited to put their views on proposed amendments to the Retail Markets By-law and the Informal Trade By-law, both promulgated in 2014.
The municipality is carrying out the review through the Retail Markets First Amendment By-law and the Informal Trade Third Amendment By-law 2026.
Thembo Ntuli, chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee, said the review is meant to ensure the regulatory framework supports safe and orderly trading while creating greater opportunities for participation in the local economy.
“The input of traders and stakeholders is critical to ensuring that the proposed amendments respond to realities on the ground,” Ntuli said.
The municipality said the sessions are intended to keep the regulatory framework responsive to the needs of the informal economy while supporting economic opportunities.
After Tuesday’s opening session, consultations move across the municipality’s regions through October and November. In the Inner and Outer West, sessions are set for 16 October at the Pinetown Civic Centre’s Council Chamber and 22 October at Clermont Hall at the Clermont Sizakala Centre, both starting at 9am.
The South Areas session will be held at uMlazi V Community Hall on 27 October from 10am, followed by a North Areas meeting at Bester Community Hall on 29 October, also from 10am.
The Coastal Areas consultation is scheduled for 5 November at the Durban Surfing Club. The Upper North Areas will host sessions at oThongathi Sports Centre on 10 November and Verulam Library on 11 November. All sessions will start at 10am.
The account above is drawn from the government’s own summary of the roadshow schedule, published by SAnews (South African Government News Agency) at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/ethekwini-rolls-out-roadshows-empower-informal-traders. The document sets out the dates, venues and the municipality’s stated purpose for the review. It does not contain the text of the two 2026 amendment instruments, and the proposed changes themselves have not been published in the summary.
