Fuel has become one of the most priced commodities in Namibia, and with the price increases, motorists are forced to find ways to preserve every last drop of it, sometimes resorting to illegal tactics to save a few bucks.
illegal fuel trade at Oshikango, popularly known as the Ngungula service has been on the increase for the past few years.
The word Ngungula translates to sneaking around and running.
Petrol prices have been on a steep increase over the past year, exceeding the N$22 mark by July.
While the illegal fuel trade provides a welcome relief to many motorists who simply cannot afford the high price of fuel in Namibia, it comes at a cost to the owners and employees at service stations, especially in the Ohangwena Region.
Namibia is not exactly a free market society, which is an economic system with little to no barriers to free-market activity,
The fuel and oil industry is regulated by the state, which issues trade licenses to companies and not individuals, in order to keep the prices in check.
If left unregulated, many people face losing their jobs because individual actions can have a negative ripple effect on the next person.