ONGWEDIVA - Street vendors selling vegetables and fruits in Ongwediva have appealed for more trading spaces around residential areas in order to advance their businesses.

The vendors claim that although the council has designated spaces for them to trade, sometimes it is too far for someone without a vehicle.
“Sometimes a customer just needs a tomato to use immediately, but it still requires them to drive, hence we want the winning party to address some of these challenges,” said a vendor who only identified himself as Matheus.

Matheus further bemoans that many of them sell too close to local shops and are now competing for customers with the shops.
In addition to that, the vendors claim that at the moment, they are forced to put up their own shelters to prevent goods from going bad.
“The umbrellas are not sufficient as the fresh produce still wilt very fast, especially in this hot weather. Our appeal remains structures in residential areas,” said Matheus further.

With the rain fast approaching, the vendors said they often have to run to areas to shield themselves from the rain
Ongwediva Town Council spokesperson Jackson Muma said the council was in agreement with bringing services closer to the people hence an additional open market was established in the recent years at Efidi Lomulunga Extension 4.

In the meantime, Muma said, the council has designated various temporary places for vendors to sell outside the open market.
The spokesperson further said mobile vendors who are seen to be pulling bike trailers around town have also been accorded with fitness certificates to move around the streets and sell.

“But some are breaching the contract. Instead of moving around, they have resorted to standing at one point the whole day,” said Muma.
He said the town now has two open markets. An opening of a future open market will be guided by the town planning and the availability of space thereof.
–nashipala@nepc.com.na