This vision is the dream of Zerina Walburgh, who says the benefits of operating a registered business outweigh those of running an informal set-up.

CHRIS MORE - SUNDAYWORLD

Walburgh is the owner of Zivane Trading, which organised a conference on the need to formalise the informal sector at the Gold Reef Casino Hotel in Jozi this week.

Speakers at the conference included Gauteng MEC for economic development Qedani Mahlangu, Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mondli Gungubele, Black Business Council (BBC) CEO Xolani Qubeka and National Youth Development Agency executive Simon Molefe.

Walburgh says: "I realised that as informal traders we lack a critical resource, which is information necessary to improve our businesses. There is the perception that if one is an informal trader, one will remain so for good. My aim with the conference was to gather all key stakeholders who have some influence on the fate of informal traders, especially those in the government and the financial services sector."

Walburgh says the information that was presented was an eye-opener for her and other participants.

"I think this was only the beginning of a concerted campaign to bring information to informal traders, which will encourage them to register their businesses. In this way, they can gain access to vital regulatory and financial information that they can use to grow their businesses," she says.

Tsholofelo Molebaloa of the Small Enterprise Finance Agency told the conference that the organisation was working in concert with other state funding entities to improve access to finance for informal and small businesses.

And Gungubele reported that Ekurhuleni was reorganising its operations so as to be able to best meet the needs of informal traders within its boundaries.

Qubeka said the BBC was consolidating the capacity of its member bodies to take the lead in creating favourable conditions in which to do business. - SUNDAYWORLD