Informal Markets of Durban

At the center of Durban lies a labyrinth of informal markets, peddling everything from pirated DVDs to baboon heads. The Early Morning Market, a sprawling vegetable market, has been in existence there for a century. When the municipality threatened to tear down the entire place and build a mall (South Africans LOVE their malls), the Legal Resources Centre, where Natty is working, stepped in and defended the informal traders. The markets serve a vital role in the life of the city, providing affordable goods, significant cultural wares, and most importantly, jobs. Although in recent years safety in the markets has improved, it is not generally considered a safe area for outsiders. Natty’s work arranged a visit through a new non-profit that supports initiatives for the traders and leads tours of the nine distinct markets. While we were waiting for our guide, we heard a fight breaking out nearby; people starting sprinting towards the action, shouting and egging on the fighters, and we decided we were glad to be part of a tour.
When our guide showed up, so did eight white women in their seventies. We thought we were having a private tour, and groaned at the thought of joining this crowd of nervous-looking tourists. But it turned out they had lived in Durban all their lives. Post-apartheid South Africa is a complex place, and often, the same organizations that serve tourists provide white South Africans with a chance to look over the barriers erected by apartheid.
Our first stop was the Friday Bead Market. It was a buzzing place, with women and children and jewelry sprawled on the ground. We practiced our Zulu and earned some smiles and some perplexed looks. I’m not sure we’re always saying what we think we are saying. We continued through the Herb Market, and through the clothes market. Pinafores, the bright dresses reminiscent of the turn of the twentieth century, are worn by many Zulu women as important cultural markers. It seemed like the market could have clothed the entire female population of the Zulu nation. The highlight of the tour for Natty was the Bovine Head Market. Translated: raw cow heads hanging around, then scooped into a big pot with dumplings and cooked. Delicious. The tour ended with a loop through the traditional medicines market, where we wove through piles of monkey skulls, dead birds, and piles of strange-smelling plants. No cures I wanted to try!
As we left, it was difficult to imagine the vibrant markets being replaced with another undistinguished shopping center. We’re gaining confidence in the city, and we plan to go back to visit on our own soon.