Agnes Kafula wants street vendors to stop running from police and start getting social benefits. As a member of the Swapo parliament, she believes informal traders deserve protection just like other workers. Her plan would reduce police troubles for people who sell things on the streets because they have nowhere else to work.
The National Assembly recently accepted a report about helping these street sellers. Kafula first brought up this idea in 2023 with her motion, "Social Protection of Informal Traders." She wants Namibia to follow international labor guidelines that help street vendors become official businesses.
Kafula told reporters she understands vendor struggles from her days as a councilor. She saw how hard it was for them to find good places to sell their items. After traveling around Africa, she noticed better street market setups elsewhere. She believes Namibian vendors deserve fair places to trade with bathrooms and water access.
Her first attempt to help vendors happened back in 2019, but she feels disappointed about how slowly things moved forward. The committee asks police and government groups like the Social Security Commission to stop bothering these small business owners. Kafula thinks every town across Namibia should create spaces where vendors can work legally.
Harold Akwenye from Windhoek city government admits they face problems finding enough trading spots. More people want to sell things than spaces exist. He says some markets do have openings right now, and vendors should apply for them. Creating proper markets costs lots of money for things like water systems and trash pickup.
He promises Windhoek officials want to solve these problems through talks with everyone involved. Johnny Doeseb from the Walvis Bay Business Chamber points out that around 67 percent of Namibian traders work informally. He thinks the government must create special areas for them since they support the economy.
Doeseb believes teaching skills to informal sellers would strengthen the national economy. Turning street vendors into regular businesses would create many jobs. He supports the new report and hopes parliament will put its ideas into action soon. According to Doeseb, street vendors keep the economy alive.
The National Assembly recently accepted a report about helping these street sellers. Kafula first brought up this idea in 2023 with her motion, "Social Protection of Informal Traders." She wants Namibia to follow international labor guidelines that help street vendors become official businesses.
Kafula told reporters she understands vendor struggles from her days as a councilor. She saw how hard it was for them to find good places to sell their items. After traveling around Africa, she noticed better street market setups elsewhere. She believes Namibian vendors deserve fair places to trade with bathrooms and water access.
Her first attempt to help vendors happened back in 2019, but she feels disappointed about how slowly things moved forward. The committee asks police and government groups like the Social Security Commission to stop bothering these small business owners. Kafula thinks every town across Namibia should create spaces where vendors can work legally.
Harold Akwenye from Windhoek city government admits they face problems finding enough trading spots. More people want to sell things than spaces exist. He says some markets do have openings right now, and vendors should apply for them. Creating proper markets costs lots of money for things like water systems and trash pickup.
He promises Windhoek officials want to solve these problems through talks with everyone involved. Johnny Doeseb from the Walvis Bay Business Chamber points out that around 67 percent of Namibian traders work informally. He thinks the government must create special areas for them since they support the economy.
Doeseb believes teaching skills to informal sellers would strengthen the national economy. Turning street vendors into regular businesses would create many jobs. He supports the new report and hopes parliament will put its ideas into action soon. According to Doeseb, street vendors keep the economy alive.
