AID grant agreement no. 674-0303-G-SS-9058-00 to the African Council of Hawkers and Informal Businesses to upgrade its legal support and deregulation activities

An estimated 1,000 laws, most of them racially discriminatory, hamper free trade and competition in South Africa and effectively exclude many blacks from the economic mainstream. Under this grant, ACHIB will develop the capacity of its Legal and Deregulation Department to improve legal assistance to hawkers and informal businesses and to lobby for legal reform. Specific targets include the following: (1) the repeal of some 62 acts and by-laws, including licensing requirements, through legal means and lobbying; (2) informing every local authority of newly changed legislation; (3) more positive government attitudes towards informal training; and (4) legal protection for a significant number of informal sector entrepreneurs, which will allow them to move to higher levels of economic activity. The grant will facilitate these activities by funding the salaries of six staff members: a lawyer; four legal assistants; and a secretary. The grant will also fund equipment, a legal library, outside legal expertise, and certain other necessary inputs.