Jobseekers refuse to move
Jobseekers gathering on the pavement in front of the NBC building in Oshakati are refusing to move to a more comfortable place, saying it is too out of the way.
The Oshakati town council has turned the bus terminal at the new Oshakati open market into a jobseekers' zone after bus owners and operators ditched the premises.
The town council is relocating the assembly spot for jobseekers from the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) building to the open market, saying the move was in the interest of the jobseekers' health and safety.
It is reported that every day over 200 unemployed residents of Oshakati and surrounding villages assemble in front of the NBC building in the hope of being offered casual work.
Yesterday, the jobseekers told Namibian Sun that they were not willing to move to the open market. They said they would leave the NBC premises if the town council allocated a better place for them.
Council CEO Werner Iita said the jobseekers had been consulted and they never objected a move to the open market.
One of the jobseekers, Helena Paulus, denied that, saying they were only informed last week that they had to move.
“That was not a consultation. Last week the town council came here and took a few of us to go talk to them. I was among of those who went to that meeting.
“They told us that gathering here does not give a good image to NBC clients and visitors who are going to the governor's office and that is why they are relocating us. That day we could not object to them because we were not sent to represent the others,” Paulus said.
Another jobseeker, Esler Petrus, asked why the town council wanted to move them to the open market, since they are not traders, bus owners or commuters.
“If buses refuse to operate from the open market, who are we to accept to operate from there? Buses are abandoned the premises because there are no customers and it will be the same for us. They are hiding us and nobody will see us and this will make life difficult for us,” Petrus said.
Ester Hauwanga said the spot at the NBC building was better for them, as many people needing labourers went there seeking their services. “Many people are used to us being here and they come looking for us here. We are able to make a living for our children and ourselves,” Hauwanga said.
Iita said the spot at the open market was only temporary while the council found a better place. He pointed out that there are shade and toilets at the open market. “The place where they are currently is not hygienic for them and it is also not a good picture of the town.
They are exposed to the sun, rain and wind. At the open market it is very comfortable for them, there are chairs, toilets and they will be seated in the shade. That is just a temporary site while we are looking for an ideal place for them,” Iita said.
Bus drivers and second-hand car dealers refused to operate from the open market, saying that customers rarely went there.
Iita said the town council was formulating a bylaw that would prevent buses from operating elsewhere in town.
“With the issue of the bus terminal, many buses refuse to operate from the open market. The police have been helping us but we had no law that prohibit buses from loading passengers elsewhere in town.
“We are busy formulating the law and we are almost at the final stage. For the second-hand dealers we upgraded the safety features they were demanding and it is only a matter of going back to them,” Iita said.
In 2016, the Oshakati town council constructed the N$80 million open market which can accommodate up to 500 vendors. It offers fruit and vegetable stalls, raw meat and kapana stalls, seasonal products, tailoring, arts and crafts, second-hand car dealers and a bus terminal.
ILENI NANDJATO
The town council is relocating the assembly spot for jobseekers from the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) building to the open market, saying the move was in the interest of the jobseekers' health and safety.
It is reported that every day over 200 unemployed residents of Oshakati and surrounding villages assemble in front of the NBC building in the hope of being offered casual work.
Yesterday, the jobseekers told Namibian Sun that they were not willing to move to the open market. They said they would leave the NBC premises if the town council allocated a better place for them.
Council CEO Werner Iita said the jobseekers had been consulted and they never objected a move to the open market.
One of the jobseekers, Helena Paulus, denied that, saying they were only informed last week that they had to move.
“That was not a consultation. Last week the town council came here and took a few of us to go talk to them. I was among of those who went to that meeting.
“They told us that gathering here does not give a good image to NBC clients and visitors who are going to the governor's office and that is why they are relocating us. That day we could not object to them because we were not sent to represent the others,” Paulus said.
Another jobseeker, Esler Petrus, asked why the town council wanted to move them to the open market, since they are not traders, bus owners or commuters.
“If buses refuse to operate from the open market, who are we to accept to operate from there? Buses are abandoned the premises because there are no customers and it will be the same for us. They are hiding us and nobody will see us and this will make life difficult for us,” Petrus said.
Ester Hauwanga said the spot at the NBC building was better for them, as many people needing labourers went there seeking their services. “Many people are used to us being here and they come looking for us here. We are able to make a living for our children and ourselves,” Hauwanga said.
Iita said the spot at the open market was only temporary while the council found a better place. He pointed out that there are shade and toilets at the open market. “The place where they are currently is not hygienic for them and it is also not a good picture of the town.
They are exposed to the sun, rain and wind. At the open market it is very comfortable for them, there are chairs, toilets and they will be seated in the shade. That is just a temporary site while we are looking for an ideal place for them,” Iita said.
Bus drivers and second-hand car dealers refused to operate from the open market, saying that customers rarely went there.
Iita said the town council was formulating a bylaw that would prevent buses from operating elsewhere in town.
“With the issue of the bus terminal, many buses refuse to operate from the open market. The police have been helping us but we had no law that prohibit buses from loading passengers elsewhere in town.
“We are busy formulating the law and we are almost at the final stage. For the second-hand dealers we upgraded the safety features they were demanding and it is only a matter of going back to them,” Iita said.
In 2016, the Oshakati town council constructed the N$80 million open market which can accommodate up to 500 vendors. It offers fruit and vegetable stalls, raw meat and kapana stalls, seasonal products, tailoring, arts and crafts, second-hand car dealers and a bus terminal.
ILENI NANDJATO
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