Sostenus Wilherm

The City of Windhoek on Thursday met with five representatives of the 104 informal traders operating at Chinatown following a peaceful march to the municipal head office.

The meeting, attended by mayor Sakaria Uunona and chief executive officer Moses Matyayi, focused on the City’s decision requiring vendors to vacate the area over safety, hygiene and by-law compliance concerns.

According to activist Shaun Gariseb, who was part of the delegation led by activist Michael Amushelelo, the traders appealed to the City of Windhoek to allow them to continue trading while they register and are formally relocated to designated markets.

The City of Windhoek said the enforcement action is not aimed only at Chinatown, but forms part of a broader effort to address illegal trading across Windhoek.

It also reiterated that formal trading spaces, including at the nearby Bonsmara Market, are available.

Gariseb welcomed the engagement, saying it was held in the interest of the residents and traders.

The City is expected to provide a written response on Friday, confirming whether the vendors will be allowed to continue trading while the formal relocation process is underway.

The 104 traders have been operating at Chinatown since 2015.