The Outjo Municipality is expanding the existing open market to accommodate more vendors who usually sell on the sidewalks.

Outjo is a town of more than six thousand inhabitants and is best known as the main gateway to one of Africa's largest national parks, Etosha.

The town receives an increasing number of visitors on a daily basis.

The sidewalks are, however, filled with vendors, making it difficult for them to serve their purpose of keeping people off the roads.

Although those approached refused to comment on the record, they nonetheless stated that there is not enough space at the existing open market.

The town's mayor, Johannes Bapello, says the municipality is creating space for at least 20 more vendors at the open market.

"They must utilize the informal market put up by the council so that more and more people can come in, sell their things, get an income, and pay their bills at the municipality and their own bills. The main reason is for those people on the walkways to come here and sell here so that the people can move freely in front of shops and not enter the road where the cars are moving; it's also for safety."

At the moment, the municipality only charges five dollars for the use of toilets.

But how does one secure space in the market?

"They don't need to come to the municipality; they just come here, and if they see an open space, they can start selling, but we are busy working on a program to make it organized."

The extension of the open market started last year in November and is expected to be completed in May this year.