Oshikango market flooded with smuggled goods
Local vendors at the border town of Oshikango are finding it hard to make ends meet because of illegal goods being smuggled into the country by their Angolan counterparts, who sell them cheaply.
Upon visiting Oshikango's Katwitwi open market on Friday, Namibian Sun observed a police crackdown on smuggled goods at the crowded market.
Rice, sugar and fuel are among the goods being smuggled into the country, further crippling the economy of the formerly booming border town of Oshikango.
The situation not only affects street vendors. Supermarkets are losing business too, and the state loses out on unpaid sales tax and customs duties. Some of the vendors said they wanted the Angolan traders out – not because they were xenophobic but simply because the business competition was unfair.
They explained that they purchased most of their stock from Angolan businesses, and their suppliers were in direct competition with them.
“We buy two kilograms of rice for N$20 from them and for us to make a profit we have to add our mark-up but the Angolans sell the rice for N$15 at the market. “How do you think we will survive now, as all the customers are just going to them as their products are cheaper than ours. We can't lower our prices as we won't make a profit,” one vendor complained. “Even the local shops are losing out because these people sell everything here and it is cheap, that's why it's always crowded here. People like cheap things and the Angolans are here to rescue them,” another vendor said.
While driving through the open market this reporter was approached by two people at different places selling fuel.
When asked where they got the fuel from, they indicated that they smuggled it across the border to sell at Oshikango. A 25-litre container of fuel is sold for N$300 while a five-litre canister costs as little as N$60. Both these encounters took place while there were many police officers around.
Approached for comment, the Ohangwena police spokesperson, Sergeant Abner Kaume Itumba, said Friday's operation was about informing the vendors, Namibian and Angolan alike, that it was illegal to sell smuggled goods.
“That operation was just to educate the public. The Angolan and Namibian vendors, especially the Angolans, were informed that they should not sell smuggled goods to the people,” Itumba said.
Itumba said such goods were not cleared by customs at the border.
“They are bringing their goods here in large numbers and sell them at a low price and in the process they are killing the economy of the country,” he said. Itumba said no one was arrested.
Asked about the fuel, Itumba said the police were doing their best to curb the smuggling.
KENYA KAMBOWE
Upon visiting Oshikango's Katwitwi open market on Friday, Namibian Sun observed a police crackdown on smuggled goods at the crowded market.
Rice, sugar and fuel are among the goods being smuggled into the country, further crippling the economy of the formerly booming border town of Oshikango.
The situation not only affects street vendors. Supermarkets are losing business too, and the state loses out on unpaid sales tax and customs duties. Some of the vendors said they wanted the Angolan traders out – not because they were xenophobic but simply because the business competition was unfair.
They explained that they purchased most of their stock from Angolan businesses, and their suppliers were in direct competition with them.
“We buy two kilograms of rice for N$20 from them and for us to make a profit we have to add our mark-up but the Angolans sell the rice for N$15 at the market. “How do you think we will survive now, as all the customers are just going to them as their products are cheaper than ours. We can't lower our prices as we won't make a profit,” one vendor complained. “Even the local shops are losing out because these people sell everything here and it is cheap, that's why it's always crowded here. People like cheap things and the Angolans are here to rescue them,” another vendor said.
While driving through the open market this reporter was approached by two people at different places selling fuel.
When asked where they got the fuel from, they indicated that they smuggled it across the border to sell at Oshikango. A 25-litre container of fuel is sold for N$300 while a five-litre canister costs as little as N$60. Both these encounters took place while there were many police officers around.
Approached for comment, the Ohangwena police spokesperson, Sergeant Abner Kaume Itumba, said Friday's operation was about informing the vendors, Namibian and Angolan alike, that it was illegal to sell smuggled goods.
“That operation was just to educate the public. The Angolan and Namibian vendors, especially the Angolans, were informed that they should not sell smuggled goods to the people,” Itumba said.
Itumba said such goods were not cleared by customs at the border.
“They are bringing their goods here in large numbers and sell them at a low price and in the process they are killing the economy of the country,” he said. Itumba said no one was arrested.
Asked about the fuel, Itumba said the police were doing their best to curb the smuggling.
KENYA KAMBOWE
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