Informal Workers in the Transportation Industry, Durban South Africa

This study is a photo essay/profile of barrow operators and traders that work in Warwick Junction, an informal trading market in downtown Durban, South Africa. The type of barrow operators in the study are those responsible for moving goods in, out and around the market to different trading sites and are essential in allowing the market to prosper.

Most of the barrow operators come from the Eastern Cape in search for more profitable work to support their families. In addition to profiling these men, the intent of the study was to explore how barrow operators are able to contribute to Durban’s informal and formal economies.