2017-05-22Staff Report 2 Ngaevarue Katjangua Windhoek-The government-owned Joel Kaapanda stalls, constructed 10 years ago at Witvlei at a cost of about N$200,000 remain vacant as the community feels they are bad for business. The Kaapanda stalls built in 2006 were meant for kapana sellers and those in similar business, but the locals have refused to utilise the stalls due to their location, which they say is too far from consumers. The stalls, situated on the right side of the B6 road from Windhoek to Gobabis, have since remained unoccupied. Witvlei Town Council’s acting chief executive officer, Justina Amukugo, confirmed to New Era that the stalls remain vacant, as people who were given the stalls did not occupy them, because the stalls do not benefit their businesses. “The reason they are not occupied is because people were given the stalls to occupy, but due to the location of the stalls they could not utilise them,” she said. Amukugo said Deputy Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Christine //Hoebes’ call for the council to renovate and reopen the stalls was noted. “The advice from the minister was noted, but since the stalls were renovated twice and still could not be used the council opted to consult the community as to what that particular infrastructure could be used for,” Amukugo said. Some villagers at Witvlei, who sell barbequed meat and similar products, depend on a high footfall and the number of passers-by, which they say stalls do not offer. The stalls are said to not provide parking for passers-by and this made it very difficult for people to stop there. It is mainly for that reason that many vendors opted rather to conduct their businesses under trees, where access to the public is easier. Witvlei Village in Okorukambe Constituency in the Omaheke Region of central-eastern Namibia and is situated along the B6 road, 150 km from Windhoek on route to Gobabis. 2017-05-22Staff Report 2
