Asiye eTafuleni

Rights to the city for informal workers

Working to achieve spatial justice and equitable access to sustainable livelihoods for informal workers in urban public space.

Our Strategies

Urban Innovation

[action] research & design + test + assess + document = influence

Urban Advocacy

support + advice + empowerment = amplified voice + visibility

Urban Learning

documentation + dissemination = understanding + reduced prejudice

Urban Intelligence

street presence + observation + engagement + responsiveness = knowledge + trust

Our Principles

Advocacy for informal workers’ rights including legal and regulatory reform, for reduced prejudice and improved perceptions.

Working with permitted and un-permitted informal workers in public space, amplifying their voices through inclusive collaborative processes.

Non-partisan and non-discriminatory. Working towards spatial transformation in urban public space.

Explicit support of female informal workers, and capacity building and empowerment towards equal (or more) female influence and leadership.

Support for informal worker led, scalable and appropriate interventions that work towards replicability and independent advocacy and transformation.

Design of processes and interventions together with rather than for informal workers.

Our Projects

CURRENT PROJECTS

AeT’s current work spans a variety of projects and commissions, which either build on existing work or emerge out of a need or opportunity that arises through consultation with informal workers. Each project integrates AeT’s strategies (link) and aligns with at least one AeT’s programme areas.

Our Funders, Partners and Collaborators

AeT team works towards building a better, more sustainable urban future for everyone at the table. (Asiye eTafuleni means ‘bring it to the table’ in isiZulu). AeT’s work would not be possible without the generous support and commitment of our past and present funders and partners.

Our Work Recognised

Asiye eTafuleni was recognised for igniting transformative change in Durban.

Read more about our other awards or accolades.

Blog

Our blogs highlight project activities, spotlight successes and challenges, and share perspectives and updates on the informal sector.

FUEL HIKES – How has this affected the informal workers on the streets of Durban?

Sithulisile Moyo “On Monday, 4 July, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, which is responsible for confirming petrol price adjustments every month, confirmed new

Petty-Offence By-Laws are Part of the Problem in the Regulation of Informal Trading

Chloë Lead with Sithulisile Moyo Informal workers constitute a critical component of the city’s economic fabric, sustainability and development within the State. Thousands of informal

Informal Recycling within the city of Durban

Chloë Lead and Matthew Robbins When we arrive Sibongile Muthwa is putting on her gloves. She wears her safety boots, her hat is tightly fastened

Support Our Work

AeT has been bringing communities together and enhancing the lives of informal workers for over 10 years. Through inclusive processes, the AeT team works towards building a better, more sustainable urban future for everyone at the table. (Asiye eTafuleni means ‘bring it to the table’ in isiZulu).

If you would like to bring something to table, the ways in which you could actively support AeTs projects is through:

Volunteering or internships

Sharing our stories on social platforms

Once off or ongoing donations

Please email us for more information.

Follow us on our social platforms.