Street food vendors perceptions on food safety measures, hygiene practices and sanitary conditions: case studies of Isipingo and Umlazi, eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Abstract

Street vending activities significantly contribute to the informal economy in developing countries such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Street food vending consists of selling beverages and cooked foods, which are common foods sold to consumers. The food sold raises concerns about health issues such as foodborne illnesses and diseases. Poor hygiene practices, inadequate supply and access of water and sanitation (WASH) facilities as well as lack of storage facilities are many of the concerns relating to food safety and contamination. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of street vendors' regarding food safety measures, hygiene, and sanitary conditions in the Umlazi and Isipingo, eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA) and political economy are the conceptual frameworks which are utilised to gain an understanding of the street food vendors livelihoods. The setting for this mixed methods study was two case studies in the eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Using a pragmatism paradigm, the study utilised semi-structured interviews, paper-based questionnaires and relied on narrative and descriptive statistical analysis. This study highlights that access to essential services for waste and water still needs to be improved within eThekwini Municipality. Regarding sanitation services, the results reveal that most street food vendors share an outside tap in Umlazi (66%) and Isipingo (82%). Most respondents in Umlazi (75%) and Isipingo (65%) revealed foul odour in the areas due to poor waste management. In addition, most street food vendors in Umlazi (80%) and Isipingo (65%) indicated that their workstations need access to nearby waste disposal facilities. As a result, street food vendors stated that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) impacted on how they operated in Umlazi (40%) and Isipingo (30%) due to poor sanitation services in the area. The weather such as flooding negatively affected their working conditions and the quality of the food they sold. A need for street food vendors to receive municipal or government intervention to assist them in developing systems to deal with WASH practices in their sector was deduced. This indicates that the eThekwini Municipality needs long-term solutions, including WASH services and infrastructure upgrades within the area. Addressing these challenges will require increased stakeholder engagement sessions from within local government and municipalities to ensure everyone can access safe and clean water. This study contributes to the health and informal economy regarding food safety, hygiene, and sanitary measures within a South African context. This study has also highlighted how the experiences expressed by street food vendors contribute to their perception of WASH practices.