A plea for help
“We in desperate need of a shaded area to trade from,” the street vendors trading in Okahandja’s central business area say.
Most of them have been located here for more than 15 years and they have seen no improvements in this area.
They say they have been seeking assistance from the municipality to identify a shaded area for their use for many years. They say that while the municipality has identified a space for them, it is located at an area where there is not much foot traffic and thus, clients.
The area they currently use belongs to TransNamib. In 2021 the municipality recommended that the vendors engage directly with the company for approval for shade to be erected. However, the vendors say they have not received a response from the transport company.
In the meantime, they continue to toil in the blazing sun, which demotivates them. Furthermore, the heat degrades their produce.
They say that following the pandemic business has been difficult, and continuously trying to keep their produce from rotting adds to the challenges they face on a daily basis.
The vendors say that pre-Covid-19 they would serve between 20 and 30 customers a day. Now they are only selling to around five; some days they have no sales at all.
“Most of us are the breadwinners and we have families to support at home,” they say.
Most of them have been located here for more than 15 years and they have seen no improvements in this area.
They say they have been seeking assistance from the municipality to identify a shaded area for their use for many years. They say that while the municipality has identified a space for them, it is located at an area where there is not much foot traffic and thus, clients.
The area they currently use belongs to TransNamib. In 2021 the municipality recommended that the vendors engage directly with the company for approval for shade to be erected. However, the vendors say they have not received a response from the transport company.
In the meantime, they continue to toil in the blazing sun, which demotivates them. Furthermore, the heat degrades their produce.
They say that following the pandemic business has been difficult, and continuously trying to keep their produce from rotting adds to the challenges they face on a daily basis.
The vendors say that pre-Covid-19 they would serve between 20 and 30 customers a day. Now they are only selling to around five; some days they have no sales at all.
“Most of us are the breadwinners and we have families to support at home,” they say.
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