From Load Shedding to Job Shedding: Durban’s Informal Traffic Wardens Struggle
The streets of Durban were a source of much-needed income for the city’s poor during the days of load shedding. (Photo: Chris Makhaye)
Not everyone is celebrating the end of load shedding. For those sleeping on Durban’s streets, this development has led to a loss in income from directing traffic, casting uncertainty on their futures.
While South Africa rejoices over 220 days without blackouts, some of Durban’s poorest face lost income. Sifiso Ntuli (33), part of an informal group directing traffic at busy intersections during power outages, relied on motorists’ coins and notes for daily essentials.
Ntuli, who could make up to R500 daily, says the lights staying on forced him back to scraping by, selling recyclables. Fellow traffic warden Sandile Sibaya, similarly impacted, described the job as a community service, bringing them income and donations from motorists.
As Durban’s jobless population hit 359,000, ongoing issues like poverty, rising crime, and inadequate housing add to the city’s challenges. Local officials continue removing people from public spaces, but experts argue that such measures fail to address the root causes of homelessness and unemployment.
Could this be fueling the surge in crime and infrastructure sabotage?
Source: Daily Maverick
