(From left) Urban development minister Erastus Utoni, health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Khomas governor Laura McCloud-Katjiura and Windhoek mayor Fransina Kahungu at the reopening of the Single Quarters open market.
The urban development minister Erastus Utoni officially reopened the Single Quarters open market after about five weeks of closure when the government declared a national state of emergency.
Known as kapana market, the revamped place will now accommodate about 70 informal traders, according to the Windhoek municipality’s Filemon Hambunda.
Sadly, the section of the open market where meat is braaied will not be opened until complete renovations are done.
By Monday afternoon, the city fire brigade officers were busy destroying the old braai stands to prepare for the new ones.
Hambunda said the informal traders will not take turns to come to the open market so that there will be social distancing.
He said those who occupy odd-numbered stalls will come one day while those whose stalls are even-numbered will come the next day.
According to Hambunda, all those operating from the open market have been asked not to bring any personal property that has nothing to do with their trade.
In case of any other items that need to be stored, Hambunda said the municipality will provide containers for that purpose.
Hambunda said that all those who are coming to operate from the market are required to wear aprons and use approved meat cutting tools.
The Windhoek chief executive officer Robert Naanda Kahimise said they were targeting three other open markets across the city that could be opened any time soon.
Although Kahimise could not give a figure of the money used, he said that it came from their sources.
Mayor of Windhoek Fransina Kahungu expressed gratitude and happiness with the reopening of the market, saying that she was waiting for something like this to happen.
Urban development minister Utoni said what was happening in Windhoek is also happening across the country.
According to Utoni, all the local authorities have indicated that they have the resources to clean up the open markets before they can reopen them.
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula said his ministry was involved in the planning of the reopening of the market.
