Mayor criticises dirty city, takes informal traders to task
Windhoek mayor Queen Kamati conducted site visits across six locations in the city yesterday, focusing on areas heavily frequented by informal traders. The tour aimed to address traffic flow issues and by-law infringements while highlighting concerns related to cleanliness.Taking her from Shoprite taxi rank in the central business district (CBD) to Chinatown and Green Mountain Street in Goreangab, the mayor’s primary focus was to assess the cleanliness and regulatory compliance of informal trading zones. "Our aim is to understand the reality on the ground and to raise awareness about the city’s cleanliness and trading regulations," Kamati said.
"We are also here to discuss the by-laws and plan a vendors’ meeting to address their challenges and suggestions for creating better market spaces."
She expressed disappointment particularly in the Shoprite taxi rank in the CBD. “My observation so far is that it is very dirty. Despite efforts to accommodate informal traders, their practices often result in unclean conditions, especially in high-traffic areas. This is a major concern as it affects our city’s appearance and functionality,” she said.
The mayor emphasised that the forthcoming vendors' meeting will provide a platform for discussing by-law enforcement and addressing challenges. “It’s crucial that vendors understand the regulations to avoid conflict with authorities.”
Unsafe
The response from vendors varied. While some agreed with the mayor’s call for improved cleanliness, others expressed scepticism. A 43-year-old vendor, who preferred to remain anonymous, criticised the City's repeated promises to create designated market spaces. “I’ve been here [Chinatown] since 2001, and despite numerous visits and assurances from various officials, nothing has changed,” he said.
Stella Shoniwa Moba, a vendor at Okuryangava’s Stop & Shop for six years, supported Kamati’s position. “The congestion in our area is unsafe for both pedestrians and vendors. Recently, a truck nearly collided with a vendor due to the overcrowded setup. We need better market organisation to separate food vendors from those selling other goods,” she said.
Some vendors trading at the Tukondjeni open market also voiced concerns. They noted that informal traders outside the market compete directly with them, affecting their sales and livelihood.