‘Surveillant Assemblages’ in the Urban Informal Economy: A Case Study of Carthorse Operators in Cape Town, South Africa in 2013

Abstract

Abstract Carthorse operators known as carties are an everyday phenomenon on the streets of Cape Town, South Africa. For many men (and women) from the Cape Flats, collecting scrap metal with a carthorse can be challenging because it is often associated with criminal activities. A carthorse plays a critical role in determining when, where and how scrap metal can be collected. Working with carthorses makes carties visible, bringing them into the purview of the public, state and non-state actors. As a result, they are often ‘watched’ and subjected to daily surveillance. The impact of state and non-state surveillance is well discussed in the urban informality literature, however, more research is needed on how surveillance is shaped. This paper explores how everyday surveillance in the informal economy is shaped. It draws on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, and participant observation with carthorse operators, community improvement districts, and non-governmental organizations. Drawing on the ‘surveillant assemblage’ concept, the paper shows that carthorse surveillance is dynamic and emerges through the convergence of humans, animals, and ‘things’ to regulate carthorse operators. The paper argues that considering the convergent nature of carthorse surveillance is important because surveillance is not only pervasive and has consequences, it is also interconnected and distributive across humans, non-humans and ‘things’. The paper highlights that carthorse surveillance is complex and located within a larger assemblage of urban landscapes, technologies, animals, objects, practices, and rules that cut across the state and non-state divide. The study provides insights into broader debates of how urban governance and regulation towards the informal economy is shaped in the city.

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