Rundu to evict ‘illegal’ street vendors
RUNDU - The Rundu Town Council has taken a stand to implement its street trading regulations and evict street vendors who have been operating without proper documentation.
Chief administrator Sebastian Kantema told reporters this week the council would be strictly enforcing its regulations to regulate street vendors who have been selling their wares on sidewalks and in undesignated areas.
Kantema said the council has built open markets to be utilised, noting it cannot build government infrastructure and at the same time allow people to trade on the streets, which is tantamount to wastage of public funds.
“The council is not denying people the right to carry out business, but wants the business to be done in an orderly manner; we will not allow vendors to trade on the street and disadvantage law-abiding citizens,” he said.
Council on Friday ordered the removal of all street vendors operating on the streets and directed that they make use of the designated areas.
Rundu has three open markets with a combined 486 open stands. However, some vendors told this agency that the open markets are full and they have no option but to sell on the streets for their livelihoods.
One of the vendors said the council promised to shift them to a designated area, but it was later discovered that the area belongs to a private individual.
“We are being told to apply for stands within the open markets but it takes long to get approval, so what are we going to eat while waiting?” said the vendor.
Rundu has 263 registered vendors in its database and would like to ensure that proper procedures are followed for vendors to operate.
The street trading regulations of the Rundu Town Council through the Local Authorities Act of 1992 gazetted on 12 August 2008 requires a person who wishes to trade as a street vendor to be registered with the council. It says a person convicted of an offence under its sub-regulations is liable to a fine not exceeding N$2 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months. -