The Rundu Town Council (RTC) on Monday closed 10 businesses at the town that were not legally registered.
Rundu has 4 700 registered businesses.
The RTC, in collaboration with the police, the Namibia Revenue Agency’s customs and excise division, as well as the Ministry of Health and Social Services, has started conducting a joint operation to assess business and safety standard compliance at the town.
The operation is aimed at ensuring all businesses at Rundu are registered and in compliance with the law.
RTC divisional head of public and environmental health Tuwilika Hamukoto on Tuesday said the joint operation started on Monday and will run until 23 May.
“On Monday we visited round about 40 businesses, and out of thise we closed down 10 because we did not find a fitness certificate as well as a business registration certificate on site,” he said.
The businesses were closed and sealed by law-enforcement officers and were advised to visit the RTC offices to register.
Some of the closed businesses are mini markets, retailers and shebeens.
Other businesses were given notices as they were found operating in unhygienic conditions, Hamukoto said.
“As we are doing the compliance part, we are also educating the community to adhere to the applicable laws and regulations. We are also doing inspections on counterfeit products as well as illicit products,” she stated.
The joint operation also confiscated expired items as well as illegal cigarettes found in some business outlets.
“The progress has been good thus far as we did not come across any community resistance,” she said.
She said the initiative is not intended to be punitive, as some business owners believe, but rather an attempt by the town council to ensure that all businesses operate legally and correctly.
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