City seeks safe trading solution for Chinatown vendors
The City of Windhoek has engaged representatives of informal traders operating at Chinatown following a peaceful march to the City's Head Office, where concerns surrounding trading activities in the area were discussed.
The engagement comes after the City requested more than 100 informal traders to vacate the area due to ongoing concerns over safety, hygiene and compliance with municipal by-laws. Complaints from formal businesses and residents have highlighted several challenges, including traffic congestion, illegal trading on road reserves, poor waste management, open fires near private properties, sanitation problems and the use of children in trading activities.
City of Windhoek Chief Executive Officer Moses Matyayi said the City had engaged vendors on several occasions and would continue educating them about the applicable by-laws, but compliance remained a challenge. "Our concern is the safety of both traders and the public. Trading on road reserves, poor waste disposal and fire hazards place lives and property at risk. The City's responsibility is to protect everyone while ensuring that trading takes place in a safe and orderly environment," Matyayi said.
The City said more than 20 formal trading markets are already operating across Windhoek, with an additional 19 sites identified for future development. In the vicinity of Chinatown, the Bonsmara Market, a formal market developed by the City, is located a short distance from the current informal trading area. However, some vendor representatives argued that relocating to the market would reduce customer access, as they believe most customers prefer the current roadside location.
The City said similar concerns had been raised in other areas in the past, but experience had shown that traders could successfully establish themselves in formal markets after relocating. Windhoek Mayor Sakaria Uunona stressed that the matter was not about preventing people from earning a living, but about upholding integrity, fairness and the rule of law. "The argument that formal markets are too far from customers cannot be used as a blanket excuse. We have seen markets where traders relocated successfully and continue to operate. We must work together to build a trading environment that benefits everyone," Uunona said.
The City said the development of a formal market at Chinatown remains part of its long-term plans. However, the project would require significant investment and essential infrastructure, including water, sewerage and other municipal services, before construction could begin.
As an immediate measure, the current group of 104 traders will be encouraged to apply for available formal trading spaces at Bonsmara Market and other designated locations. Vendor representatives also committed to contributing N$200 per month towards the development of a formal trading facility and proposed forming an association to strengthen collaboration with the City. The City reiterated that enforcement of municipal by-laws is not intended to deprive residents of economic opportunities, but to ensure that trading activities take place in a safe, healthy and regulated environment.
The vendor representatives were advised that the City would issue a formal written response on the matter, outlining the way forward, the following day.
