INFORMAL trading in Swakopmund’s DRC shanty-town has become and important contributor to the economic and social environment of the residents there, who are mostly poor and unemployed.
In order to ensure some bread on the table, the majority of the residents are now involved in street trading which are conducted under ‘unsafe and unhygienic conditions’, according to the Swakopmund Municipality.For this reason, a need to develop physical infrastructure such as an open market, which will finally provide a business friendly environment in which entrepreneurial activities can thrive.It is hoped that such an initiative would encourage a one-stop business experience, stimulate employment, alleviate hardship and poverty, develop entrepreneurial skills, and expand the economic base for Swakopmund.It is anticipated that such a market will consist of 40 braai-grills with a roof and interlocked floor. The cost of such a facility is estimated to be in the region of N$300 000.
