Episode 33: Protect, Contain, Disrupt! The foundations and future of the township economy

Talking Transformation

In this TTPod episode we consider the Township economy: the people, the spaces and the practices that are shaping the fortunes many of our communities in South Africa. Our conversation invites the three authors of the book Township Economy: People, Spaces and Practices: Andrew Charman, Thireshen Govender and Leif Petersen to talk about the transformative potential of the informal economy and the power relations and adaptive strategies that allow micro-enterprises to thrive or falter. Having bought the book and been intrigued by the case studies and spatial data they’ve incorporated, I wanted to ask them more about the inspiration for their book, the research methods and their findings. What are the opportunities, the trends and the risks faced by those who are reliant on the informal sector for their livelihood? What is it we should be doing better and how best to facilitate and unlock the growth and potential of micro-enterprises? Looking at 9 South African case studies and one in Namibia they consider diverse themes and explain the practices and people shaping them in our communities. Their thoughts will appeal to any practitioner or academic who is looking at issues associated with socio-economic development, anthropology, and use and urban design and entrepreneur behaviour in South Africa. There’s something for everyone in this episode. At a time when a national lockdown has disrupted fundamentally both the formal and informal economies the content and recommendations made by Andrew, Thirshen and Leif are vital resources for us to consider.