On Robert Mugabe Street in Harare's central business district, music blares from two old speakers mounted on Faithmore Maredza's one-ton truck. During the day, motorists use the street's three demarcated lanes, but by nightfall only a single lane is available. This is because scores of vehicles illegally park on the road and are turned into shops, giving life to a bustling informal trade. Here, the unwritten rule of business seems to be: the louder the noise, the bigger the attraction for customers. Those without the sophistication of music to accompany their business resort to shouting to attract passers-by. Fluorescent lights hung on vehicles provide an extra draw-card in addition to giving much-needed light as darkness sets in. For Maredza, 28, the light shines on the goods he sells from the back of his truck. His goods, sourced from Musina in South Africa, include 2kg Maq washing powder packets, an assortment of Nivea lotions and 1kg Ellis Brown coffee creamers. Most of the prod...
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