CoW explains street vendor clash, vows lawful order
The City of Windhoek (CoW) has shed light on an incident involving informal traders on Werner List Street last Monday, while reaffirming its commitment to enforcing municipal by-laws through the Windhoek City Police Service (WCPS).The incident occurred on Monday, 19 May 2025, during Operation “My City, My Pride”, launched on 13 May to address the growing issue of unauthorised street trading in Zone 14 of the Central Business District (CBD). The operation came in response to mounting complaints from formal business owners about informal vendors obstructing storefronts and pedestrian walkways.
City officials stated that informal trading is not permitted on Werner List Street under the city’s town planning scheme. However, to accommodate informal traders, specific parking bays within the CBD have been converted into designated, numbered trading areas. Despite these provisions, some vendors have continued to operate illegally in undesignated spaces, including directly in front of Shoprite and on the roadway itself.
According to the City, on 19 May, two informal traders refused to relocate when approached by WCPS officers and declined to pay the prescribed N$500 fine. Officers then confiscated their trolleys by the Street Trading Regulations (General Notice 252 of 1999). The situation escalated as the traders resisted, and a crowd began to gather. To prevent further disorder, a City Police officer discharged a warning shot into the air.
The Operation Commander arrived shortly thereafter and de-escalated the situation. No arrests were made. The traders and their committee representatives were taken to the City Police Professional Standards Office, where the matter was resolved. Instead of pursuing charges, the City issued a courtesy warning.
“The intervention was corrective rather than punitive,” a City spokesperson said. “The Windhoek City Police remains committed to enforcing by-laws with professionalism and respect.”
The CoW urges all informal traders to comply with trading zone regulations, emphasising the distinction between lawful entrepreneurship and actions that disrupt public order.