The Minister of Industrialization and Trade, Lucia Iipumbu, says that the government recognises the invaluable role that the informal economy plays in the nation's economic landscape. 

Iipumbu says that the men and women who form the backbone of this sector contribute significantly to the GDP and create much-needed employment opportunities. 

She said this during a consultation meeting aimed at drafting a Special Economic Zone Bill (SEZ).

Namibia's port of Walvis Bay is a town experiencing rapid population growth from individuals in search of greener pastures.

However, the hopes of many to find employment here are, more often than not, dashed.

Vendors come from all corners of the country to sell their arts and crafts to passersby at the southern gate of the Namibian Ports Authority.

This is their surest means to sustain their livelihoods, they say.

It costs to endure all manner of weather, from the scorching sun to the cold breeze from the Atlantic Ocean.