Juba authorities ban street vending

JUBA – Juba City Council in Central Equatoria State of South Sudan has banned vending along the street of Juba city.

The move aimed to control the increasing vehicle and pedestrian traffic gridlock in the city.

Kalisto Lado Faustino, Mayor of Juba City Council said that the activities of street traders on walkways have contributed to traffic gridlocks in Juba city.

“Displaying of the goods in Custom Street has caused traffic jams, and dumping of garbage in the middle of the road,” Lado said during Tuesday’s inspection in the custom market.

Lado said the local authorities want to bring orderliness in the manner street vendors conduct their business.

“We are building and organizing our capital City Juba and South Sudan at large with our own hands, and as people of one nation without favoritism and discrimination of race, religion or tribe,” he said.

The Mayor urged vendors to go back to the main markets where they should conduct their activities.

“The owners of petrol stations have taken advantage of merchants to do trade inside and outside the stations, and they collect taxes from them, which are a big confusion, this is out of the mandate of the petroleum stations,” he said.

He warned vendors not to attempt going back to the streets, saying they will be “fished out”.

“No person is above the law, so the laws and regulations of Juba City Council do not allow any illegal activities like placing of goods on roads and random trading,” he said.

Alfateh  Margani Agal, Executive Director of Juba City Council said there is a lot of space in the market and wondered why people are rushing to trade on the streets.

“Selling goods along Custom Street does not reflect a good view of the national capital at all, the public order we are executing today is meant to organize and change the image of Juba city,” he said.

Margani revealed that any vendor found compromising these directives will be dealt with accordingly.

“All violators will be dealt with according to the law, and the authorities of Juba City Council is going to organize and regulating vending activities on the street without the use of violence,” he said.