The Changing Shape of Economic Informality in Durban

This chapter discusses the growth trajectory of urban informality in Durban as well as its compositional and spatial/locational characteristics and how the phenomenon has contributed to employment creation. The interface between urban informality and formality is also analysed. The chapter amplifies the view that, the regulation of urban informality illustrates a troubled relationship between the city authorities and some of the informal economic actors. This, because, of the endurance of colonial urban planning regimes in which urban informality must abide by urban planning laws, which has led to blitzes and confiscation of goods from street traders as they would have violated the City laws.