SUMMARY OF ACTION POINTS - Re-opening of Open Markets and Informal Trading Activities


SUMMARY OF ACTION POINTS - Re-opening of Open Markets and Informal Trading Activities



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CONSULTATIVE
OPEN MARKETS
SUMMARY OF ACTION POINTS:
MEETING ON THE RE-OPENING OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL
AND TRADING ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN AND RURAL AREAS
HELD ON 18 APRIL 2020
Below are action points to be executed by each Regional Council and Local Authority to be
submitted to MURD 19 April 2020
Ownership
Each authority to identify an entity responsible for the execution and success of the
actions points listed from 2-9.
Education
Before commencement of trading a compulsory comprehensive community education
campaign must be activated.
Products to be sold
It is expected that each Regional Council and Local Authority identify products to be sold
at Markets and such identification must be in compliance to the Provisions of the State of
Emergency COVID-19 Regulations as amended.
Identify raw food products to be sold
Cooked food to be pre-prepared and sold as “take away”. No cooking permitted on site
Facilities
That each Regional Council and Local Authority identify the trading areas/sites
Specify the capacity of such areas/site
Registration status, i.e. formal /informal/, e.g (Big tree, Open market)
Traders in urban areas will only be allowed to operate at designated sites or spaces, and
hawkers or street or un-authorized vendors are not allowed to operate;
Compliance requirements
Who is responsible for water provision at trading sites
Identify availability of water for both traders and customers
Identify the accessibility of water for both traders and customers
CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON THE RE-OPENING OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL OPEN MARKETS AND TRADING ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN AND
RURAL AREAS HELD ON 18 APRIL 2020
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e Availability of Sanitation products (sanitizers/water and soap)
e Entrance and Exit points to be marked and manned
e Traders and their employees, where applicable, should wear face masks during trading
hours;
e Sanitizers and other disinfectants must be provided to ensure that all those who enter
and exit the trading areas follow set sanitizing or disinfecting requirements/procedures.
6.
Identification of traders
e Traders must be clearly identified at sites
e Authorities to indicate the measures for identification
e Organize traders by rooster/shit for control purposes
7.
Social distancing
e Clearly mark distances and must be visible (tapes/stones/powder)
e (Traders assistants/employees only allowed if /when social distancing is complied with)
8.
Disinfection of sites
e Disinfection of sites by Authorities is mandatory and in compliance with the provisions of
Public and Environmental Health Act 1 of 2015 (section14)
e Indicate intervals of disinfection
9.
Regulation/Enforcement
e Structures such as committees in place to minimize risks and contain the outbreak of
COVID-19 at trading sites
e Authorities to ensure that Local Authority and or Settlement DRMC are activated and fully
functional
e Community policing
e Law enforcement agencies
e Markets to only remain open between 08HOO — 17H00 daily;
Attached herewith for ease of reference
Speech of Hon Minster of MURD, Honourable Erastus A. Uutoni
Presentation of ED MURD, Mr Daniel
CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON THE RE-OPENING OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL OPEN MARKETS AND TRADING ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN AND
RURAL AREAS HELD ON 18 APRIL 2020

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In terms of Regulation 12(1)(b) as published in Government Gazette Notice 7159 — Proclamation
No. 9 State of Emergency — COVID-19 Regulations, “all open markets, informal trading
activities...may not operate” during the period of lockdown.
The implementation of the afore-mentioned measure has serious negative effects on informal
traders especially producers and vendors of fresh food produce, which products are perishable
and the producers risk a great loss if they do not sell on time. It has also been recognized that
food is one of the listed essential goods, and that a large section of the population depends on
informal trading and markets as the main avenue for them to either sell or source the essential
produce or products, which in turn are their main source of income and survival.
While recognizing the reality of the threat being posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country
and the need for the strict enforcement of the preventive and mitigating measures as gazette in
Notice 7159, the Ministries of Urban & Rural Development (convener); Health & Social Services;
Agriculture, Water & Land Reform, Industrialization & Trade and Home Affairs, Immigration,
Safety & Security have been tasked to work out and submit a proposal on a strategy and
modalities on how informal trading activities may be allowed without compromising the
enforcement of the COVID-19 measures.
In light of the above, a Committee of Deputy Ministers from the above-listed Ministries, the
Mayor of the Windhoek Municipality supported by senior officials from the listed Ministries and
the Municipality as well as the Agronomic Board of Namibia, the Association for Local Authorities
in Namibia (ALAN) and the Namibia Association of Local Authorities Officers (NALAO) met on 8
April 2020 and hereby submit its analysis and recommendations.
e Raw Food products
Fresh vegetables and fruits
Raw meat and fish
Raw dried food
Dairy products
Raw poultry products
Cereals and flour products
e Informal trading areas/spots
CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON THE RE-OPENING OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL OPEN MARKETS AND TRADING ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN AND
RURAL AREAS HELD ON 18 APRIL 2020

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traditional authorities, MAWLR and MIT);
Unregistered vendors (outside local authority areas)
disinfectants) is a mandatory prerequisite;
Customers to be allowed inside the trading area in strict adherence to the social
distancing requirement;
Social distancing must be strictly enforced between traders and between traders and
customers (markings/demarcations);
Customers are only allowed to buy, “pick-and-go”, and will not be permitted to hang
around the market or trading area;
Traders will be issued permits to trade or a form of identification by the authority in
their areas of residence or business operation, which they are required carry and
present when so required for verification and compliance enforcement purposes;
Traders may be required to alternate on a daily basis (roster/shifts) to ensure that all
traders have an opportunity to trade in cases where the area does not enable social
distancing measures to be effected, and traders will be assigned alternate trading
space to ensure social distancing requirements;
Employees or assistants to the traders can only be considered where the required
social distancing can be maintained (only one employee and owner/trader);
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Traders in urban areas will only be allowed to operate at designated sites or spaces,
and hawkers or street or un-authorized vendors are not allowed to operate;
Markets to only remain open between 08HO0 — 17H00 daily;
Access to and activities at trading areas will be controlled and monitored to ensure
adherence to the prescribed social distancing and the regulation of permitted
activities and products;
CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON THE RE-OPENING OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL OPEN MARKETS AND TRADING ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN AND
RURAL AREAS HELD ON 18 APRIL 2020
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The packaging of the produce must be done in a manner that will prevent or minimize
contamination (buyers having to search through and pick what please them using
their hands). Where this is not possible, prior thorough hand washing (tippy-tappies)
or sanitizing must be done before the touching of the produces/products
Producers/traders should endeavor to pre-wash their fresh produce before selling,
and also for buyers to properly wash the products upon reaching home
Sanitizers and other disinfectants must be provided to ensure that all those who enter
and exit the trading areas follow’ set sanitizing or disinfecting
requirements/procedures.
Intensification of education and awareness creation on COVID-19 among the
informal traders and producers in particular and the public in general Warlous media
of communication including radio and social media, rior fo arci chuying the resapenng
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AMTA to be capacitated to procure and distribute fresh produce (Cabinet directive);
Close collaboration between regional councils, local authorities, traditional
authorities and law enforcement agencies in ensuring the monitoring, facilitation and
enforcement of set compliance measures in respect of the movement of food
products within or between regions as well as at areas of trading; and
Development of a database on informal traders in urban and rural areas (for statistical
purposes).
A Directive to be issued by the Minister responsible for Local and Regional
Government and Traditional Authority affairs regarding the resumption of informal
trading activities;
The above authorities (local authorities, regional councils and traditional authorities)
are required to reach out to the target operators through various media and
communication channels to give notification on the modalities on the re-opening of
the trading as well as the conditions and measures to be complied with;
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CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON THE RE-OPENING OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL OPEN MARKETS AND TRADING ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN AND
RURAL AREAS HELD ON 18 APRIL 2020
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e Local authorities will be responsible providing access to water and sanitisers at open
markets, while traders outside local authority-run open markets will be responsible
for providing water with soap for their own use and for their customers;
e Active involvement of community/local leaders and community members in policing
and enforcing compliance as well as community education and awareness creation;
e Central Government (MoHAISS and MoHSS) to provide the requisite compliance
enforcement support to regional councils and local authorities at the areas of
informal trading (patrols and spot checks);
e Non-compliance to measures set out in the Directive will be dealt with in accordance
with Regulation 16 of Proclamation No. 9 (Government Notice no. 7159);
e Compliance to the measures contained in this Directive will periodically monitored
and evaluated, and be subject to change
CONSULTATIVE MEETING ON THE RE-OPENING OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL OPEN MARKETS AND TRADING ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN AND
RURAL AREAS HELD ON 18 APRIL 2020
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