22 Feb 2017

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has no plans to develop market centres for the informal sector due to budgetary constraints, Parliament was informed. Answering a question in Parliament on Tuesday, from the MP for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa, the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen said there were currently no plans to buy temporary structures for use by the formal sector.

Nevertheless, Mr Van Der Westhuizen said his ministry was always looking for means and ways to assist the informal sector, such as allocation of market stalls and the use of open spaces.

“The necessity to set up any committees for self –regulation among the informal sector is prerogative of the local authorities in consultation with local traders themselves. For example, in Francistown, a liaison committee is in existence. Thusanang Bagwebi is a lobby group of the informal sector that engages with Gaborone City Council from time to time,” he said.

He also told the House that he was not aware of any fighting between local authorities and the informal street vendors. He however said in the course of bye law enforcement operations, resistance might arise among street vendors as the law takes its course.

The assistant minister further said the informal sector is accommodated by the existence of various Bye Laws as per the needs and challenges of different local authorities around the country because his ministry recognises the role of the informal sector in growing local economies.