Contested Urban Spaces: Touting and Youth Survival in Zimbabwe
Drawing on ethnographic research in Harare, this article argues that youth touting ("mahwindi") is not merely a criminal nuisance but a vital survival strategy necessitated by economic decline and unemployment, urging authorities to move beyond ineffective criminalization and repression toward recognizing and constructively engaging with this embedded informal livelihood.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
Imagine the city of Harare, Zimbabwe, as a giant, bustling train station. For decades, the official train company (the government) stopped running enough trains to get people where they need to go. Meanwhile, the economy crashed, and most young people lost their jobs. They were stuck at the station with nowhere to go and no money to buy a ticket.
Enter the "Mahwindi" (pronounced muh-WIN-dee). In this paper, the author, Rodney Tichaona Munemo, explains that these aren't just "annoying street hustlers" as the police often call them. Think of them as unofficial conductors and tour guides who stepped in to keep the city moving when the official system broke down.
Here is a simple breakdown of what the paper says, using everyday analogies:
1. The Broken Elevator and the Stairwell
The government built an elevator (formal public transport) to get people up and down the city. But the elevator broke, and the power went out. The government kept trying to fix the elevator by locking the doors and telling people, "No one is allowed to use the stairwell!"
But people still needed to get to work. So, young people started using the stairwell. They became the stairwell guides. They didn't just stand there; they organized the flow, helped people find their way, and made sure the building didn't grind to a halt. The paper argues that calling them "criminals" is like arresting someone for using the stairs when the elevator is broken.
2. The "Cat and Mouse" Game
The police and city council see these guides as troublemakers. They launch "crackdowns" (like a game of Whac-A-Mole). Every time the police show up to chase the guides away, the guides scatter, hide, or run. But as soon as the police leave, the guides pop back up in the exact same spot.
The paper uses a concept called Structuration Theory to explain this. Imagine a dance where the police lead with a "stop" move, and the guides immediately do a "dodge" move. The guides aren't just reacting; they are smart, organized, and have their own rules. They have:
- Secret codes: They use slang to warn each other, like "The Mangongongo (noise-makers) are coming!" (referring to police beating batons).
- Safety nets: If one gets arrested, the group has a "bail fund" to pay their fine, just like a family helping a relative in trouble.
- Shifts: They rotate who is working so they don't all get caught at once.
3. The "Hope" vs. "Despair" Guides
The paper reveals that not all guides are the same.
- The Despair Guides: These are people with no other options, doing whatever it takes to eat.
- The Hope Guides: These are surprisingly educated. Some are mechanics, some are former hotel cleaners, and some are even qualified medical technicians who used to work in hospitals. They became guides because their real jobs paid so little (in local currency that loses value every day) that they couldn't feed their families.
- The New Players: Historically, this was a "boys' club." But now, women are joining in. One woman, Rutendo, started guiding passengers during lockdowns. She dressed so professionally that police thought she was a government official and let her pass! This shows that the job is about survival, not gender.
4. The "Bribe" Loop
The paper points out a strange loop. The police are supposed to arrest the guides. But often, the guides and the police end up in a negotiation. The guide might pay a small "fee" (bribe) to avoid being arrested, and the police let them go.
Think of it like a toll booth that isn't on the map. The police collect a toll to let the guides pass. This doesn't solve the problem; it just makes the guides pay to keep working. The paper argues this proves the guides are actually essential to the city's function. If they were truly dangerous criminals, the police wouldn't need to negotiate with them; they would just remove them permanently.
5. The Main Takeaway
The author's main point is that the government is trying to solve a livelihood problem with a law enforcement solution.
- The Problem: Young people have no jobs, and there aren't enough buses.
- The Current Solution: Arresting the young people who are trying to fill that gap.
- The Result: Nothing changes. The guides come back, the city stays chaotic, and the police waste time and money.
The paper suggests that instead of treating these young people like criminals, the city should treat them like workers. Imagine if the city gave them official badges, set up specific "guide zones," and made sure they followed safety rules. This would turn a chaotic, underground activity into a recognized, safe part of the city's economy.
In short: The "Mahwindi" are the city's emergency response team that the government refuses to acknowledge. They are keeping Harare moving while the official system stands still. The paper asks the government to stop trying to kick them out of the station and start working with them to get everyone to their destination safely.
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