StreetNet International
In South Africa, May Day 2010 is being celebrated just 42 days before the kick-off of the long-awaited African FIFA World Cup. In India, May Day 2010 is being celebrated 6 months in advance of the Commonwealth Games which will take place in Delhi in October. What do the workers (formal and informal) of Africa and India have to celebrate on 1 May Day 2010 as these events approach?

Between May Day 2009 and May Day 2010, a powerful working class alliance of organised trade unions and informal workers in organisations like street vendors’ organisations, social movements organising informal farmers and fisherpeople, shack-dwellers and other working class community organisations, succeeded in protecting the work and livelihoods of 7000 – 10 000 informal traders, the great majority of whom are women, in the Warwick Market precinct in central Durban, by standing together and resisting the demolition of the markets in the precinct to make way for another capitalist retail Mall which the eThekwini Municipality wanted private property developers to build before the arrival of tourists and football fans for the FIFA World Cup in June/July 2010. This working class alliance of formal and informal workers came together in April 2009 as Campaign Partners of the WCCA campaign led by StreetNet International.