…not true says Shikesho
WINDHOEK – Vendors selling kapana, fat cakes, sweets, fruits and vegetables as well as recharge vouchers and earrings on the sidewalks along Independence Avenue opposite Shoprite in the Central Business District or CBD allege that the City Police officers help themselves to their supplies and use their recharge vouchers after they have confiscated them.
More than ten vendors yesterday appealed to New Era to expose the practice, and said they have had it with the impunity of City Police officers for constantly confiscating their goods and preventing them from doing business on Independence Avenue. Only last week Monday several vendors were arrested and had their wares confiscated, they say. They were fined between N$500 and N$600 for doing business on the sidewalk. “The City of Windhoek must build stalls for us here so that we can sell our goods without the City Police confiscating our goods,” said Ndina Lukas, a vendor. “I overheard them (police) say that our onions and tomatoes go and make soup for prisoners,” said another vendor who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We are here struggling very hard, while they confiscate and eat our things. We only survive from this business,” said Foibe Gidion, a 38-year-old mother of three. According to her, one of the reasons why they are not allowed to sell there is because they are accused of taking away customers from Shoprite. “We asked them to let us sell our things here until early next year, while we look for another place to do business but they refused. We have school going children and if they take our bread from our mouths what will become of our children?” she wanted to know.
Another vendor, Rauha Ndeyapo, who has been selling earrings and recharge voucher close to the entrance to Shoprite for the past two years said she is yet to pay the four fines she was slapped with for selling ‘illegally’. “I was arrested last Monday for failing to pay N$1600 for selling and I appeared in court on Tuesday, fortunately I was let off the hook. The problem is I am the only breadwinner. I have two children to support. My mother and sister also depend on me for survival as they are unemployed. Nobody will help me to get a job or to support me. Now, who will help me if I don’t fend for myself,” queried the 32-year-old mother. “I was a security guard before I started selling here. I cannot stay at home and not do anything, because my three children depend on me. I bought the recharge vouchers that I am selling here with my own money. If they don’t want us to sell they must give us money from the government. With the little profit we make here we buy food from Shoprite, so they must leave us to struggle here and not bother us,” said Tjaluwa Joseph who hails from the Kavango Region.
Senior Superintendent of the Windhoek City Police, Gerry Shikesho when approached for comment said: “It’s a lie, it’s a damn lie. We have given them a place to do their business, the open area opposite the Roman Catholic hospital in town.” Shikesho said the vendors are conducting business illegally opposite Shoprite and added that for anyone to do business in Windhoek a permit is required, which is issued by the City of Windhoek. Citing the Transportation Act, Shikesho said selling on sidewalks compromises the safety of pedestrians. “Sometimes you find that the sidewalk is completely blocked and pedestrians have to walk on the road. Also, their onions and tomatoes are cheaper than those in Shoprite and that only means that they were acquired illegally. It doesn’t make business sense to sell those items at such cheap prices, so we are discouraging people from buying those things on the street since they (vendors) are stealing from employers,” Shikesho said. He also refuted allegations that City Police officers consume the confiscated goods, saying it is unethical and illegal to do so. According to him the police officers account for the items they confiscate by noting them in a book.
He said vendors who miss food items or other goods should report that to the police. Perishable items such as tomatoes and kapana are taken to the old age home if they are confirmed to be safe to consume, because the vendors take long before they go to the police to claim their goods, added Shikesho. “We went to that place (opposite the Roman Catholic hospital) and there is no space. Also, the vendors there don’t want us to do business there. Since they (police) are sending us there they should ascertain that the environment is conducive for us to do business there. Also, we won’t get customers, because those vendors already have their own customers,” said Gidion when asked to respond to Shikesho’s remarks. However, Shikesho insists that the vendors are just making excuses in order not to relocate to the allocated spot. “That place does not belong to anybody. They know where to go if they are being victimised by others, they should report the matter to us,” said Shikesho.
By Alvine Kapitako