Street vendor: “I get to see my family once a year”
Amidst the noises and chaos on Church Square, Emmanuel’s voice echoes from his loudspeaker calling out ”sale, sale, sale.” He is amongst the scores of street vendors who have travelled to the Festival to sell their products to thousands of potential customers. Originality is key to survive in the Fest free trade zones.
“I get to see my family once a year,” explains Boetie Stitatu, who is selling roast chicken from the Swoonies food stall. His testimony is proof that most vendors are constantly on the road, travelling around the Eastern Cape touring all the Festivals and trying to make a living.
Springbok sports merchandise
Some have travelled even further. Hailed from Cape Town, Nazier Smith is here selling Springbok sports merchandise. He said business is good here. “The products are popular with the locals and tourists alike, especially when the team is performing well. But the weather bothers me. When it rains, it keeps the people way,” he says.
A quick stroll down New Street, High Street or Hill Street will allow you to buy anything imaginable from hundreds of vendors. From fashion accessories to electronic devices and from clothing to craft works, you can do all your shopping on these streets. The more sophisticated stores that stand just next to the pavement where the vendors are, are of lesser importance now.
With part of the Church Square turned into a food mall and part of it into a live performing stage and the surrounding streets an open bazaar, no doubt the cash is flowing in.
Jackie Lee is a street painter, who studied his trade in China, and he makes R80 every 15 minutes from a charcoal portrait. Whilst Boetie sells an average of 60 grilled chickens per day at R45 each.
Pic: Gervais Henrie
