Rains sink expectant vendors’ hopes

MAMELLO SEBATANE

Maseru – Street vendors in Maseru today lamented the challenge of working on rainy days since a lot of potential customers remain indoors and that their sparsely sheltered workplaces cannot allow them to conduct business since most of them do not have proper shelters.

Mr ’Notoane ’Notoane who sells fruits and snacks said it is hard for him to work during days like these because he cannot afford to buy a proper tent to protect himself, his customers and his stock.

Although he covers his fruits with a plastic, he said he still regularly faces a challenge as some of the snacks get rain soaked and go to waste.

Another street vendor who wished to remain anonymous explained that he gets frustrated waking up to a rainy day because he knows he is not going to make any cash. The 28-year-old who makes a living by selling clothes said the shoes in his stock often get soaked, losing color even before they are bought.

“I really wish the government could make a plan and build us proper shacks because it is the only way out of this mess. These clothes are already wet and trust me, they will be worse if it continues to rain in this manner,” he explained.

Around 2019, the government, through the ministry of small businesses rolled out a project to construct market stalls for vendors using metal sheeting. The project was meant to continue but given the quick turnover of Lesotho’s governments in recent years, some noble projects remain unfinished as each new administration brings new, different ideas with it.