SA xenophobia disrupts ‘order with me’ … traders will meet PM tomorrow

Auleria Wakudumo

Namibian entrepreneurs who rely on the popular ‘order with me’ model say xenophobic attacks in South Africa are threatening their livelihoods, forcing some to halt trips to the neighbouring country over safety concerns.

The concerns arise ahead of tomorrow’s meeting between Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare and informal traders, where customs duties, taxation and regulatory challenges are expected to dominate the agenda. The engagement will take place at the Namibia University of Science and Technology main campus in Windhoek.

Selma Uutoni (27), owner of Tirana boutique, said the attacks have already affected her business operations.

“We stopped travelling to South Africa because we fear for our lives. What happened to others that we are reading in the newspapers can also happen to us,” she said.