On Rundu’s dusty streets, every dollar counts at the open market

On the dusty streets of Rundu, where the rhythm of daily survival pulses louder than any engine, the hustle is real. Street vendors line the roads, from the corner near Sauyemwa Bridge to the busy intersection by the open market, all trying to make a living under the harsh sun and swirling dust.From heaps of tomatoes and fresh spinach laid on plastic sheets to colourful piles of second-hand clothes fluttering on makeshift racks, the town’s informal traders have built a lively, unregulated economy that sustains hundreds of families.Among them is Vistora Mpasi, a 42-year-old mother of five from Kehemu. Sitting beneath a torn umbrella, she arranges ripe tomatoes and onions with care. “I’ve been selling here since 2019,” she told Namibian Sun yesterday.Her determination to earn a living under often trying conditions has brought meaningful returns.“This is what pays school fees for my children. My eldest is at Unam now. Without this business, I wouldn’t even afford her hostel.”Nearby, Joseph Kahengopa, 29, folds jeans and jackets she sources from Oshikango. Her second-hand stall, a makeshift structure of planks and wire, attracts young customers in search of affordable fashion.“It’s not always easy,” she said. “Sometimes you go the whole day and only sell one shirt. But I push, because this is better than staying home. It’s how I pay rent and send money to my mom in Mashare.”On a good day, Kahengopa says she makes between N$150 and N$300. “But there are weeks when I barely make N$500 total. Still, I can’t give up,” she added.Feeding, educating the nationThe streets are loud – not with traffic, but with voices calling customers and negotiating prices. Some vendors operate from wheelbarrows, others from sacks laid flat on the ground. The competition is tough, but the spirit is unbreakable.Anna Shikongo-Muronga, a 55-year-old widow from Ndama, sells spinach, cassava and dried fish. “I used to be a domestic worker, but after my husband died, I came here,” she told this publication yesterday. “This little business feeds my grandchildren. It may not look like much, but it keeps us alive.”Shikongo-Muronga says she earns about N$200 per day on average, depending on the weather and availability of produce. “If it rains, people don’t come out. But when it’s dry like now, I can at least make something.”While the Rundu Town Council has occasionally clamped down on unlicensed vendors, the streets remain the lifeline of many. Here, behind every stall, is a story of grit, sacrifice and the quiet determination to keep going.phillipus@nmh-hub.com.na

On Rundu’s dusty streets, every dollar counts at the open market

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-16

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On Rundu’s dusty streets, every dollar counts at the open market

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-16

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