Vulnerability and Resilience for Second Hand Clothes Informal Traders in The Wake of Covid-19 Lockdown Restrictions in Mkoba South, Gweru (2019-2021)

Kashiri Innocent Taurai and Mushaka Charles
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Kashiri Innocent Taurai: Ministry Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Midlands Province, Zimbabwe Cooperatives and SMEs Development Department
Mushaka Charles: Department of Development Studies, Zimbabwe Open University, Midlands Campus, Zimbabwe

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2022, vol. 6, issue 7, 655-662

Abstract: The premise of this study was anchored on vulnerability and resilience mechanisms faced by second hand clothes informal traders in the wake of covid-19 lockdown restrictions in Mkoba South, Gweru from 2019 to 2021. Its main objectives were: to explore the vulnerability of second hand clothes informal traders’ in adapting to the Covid 19 lockdown restrictions and to explore the resilience mechanisms utilized. An interpretive research paradigm triangulated by a phenomenological research design was adopted. Interviews and non-participant observations were used as the main data gathering instruments. The overall findings from the study revealed that the second hand clothes informal traders were vulnerable. The vulnerabilities included fear and stress; lack of government support; reduced profits and harassment by municipal and national police. Due to the above vulnerabilities, the second hand clothes informal traders developed resilience mechanisms which include selling from home; moving door to door; selling to familiar customers, friends and relatives on credit; use of Whatsapp to advertise; bribing municipal and national police; use of cross-border transporters/malaitsha for supplies and many more. The resilience mechanisms were all largely effective in in ensuring business survival and sustainable livelihoods. The study recommended that a wider multi-stakeholder consultation in the promulgation of policies to control health pandemics like the Covid 19 in the future be instituted. There is also need for capacity building to the informal traders on general business management and contemporary trends in business marketing using technology as well as helping the second hand clothes informal traders to move from the ‘informal’ tag to formality through registering of their businesses.

Date: 2022
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