By Lance Guma
07 July 2005

It never rains but it pours for Zimbabwe's informal traders.
Just weeks after being flushed out from their market stalls in Zimbabwe, those who relocated to Namibian are now being targeted by police in that country. Namibian police in Walvis Bay, Rundu and Oshakati have since last Tuesday been raiding their selling spots and confiscating various goods ranging from audio cassettes, CD's, African movies and printed cotton fabrics. Hundreds of Zimbabwean vendors are also being paraded on Namibian TV as authorities seek to whip up public sentiment against them.

Vendors who spoke to Newsreel, say they are being asked to pay fines of
12 000 rands or risk 3 years in jail for violating copyright laws.
Many of them are not in violation of copyright as they are purchasing their music from official outlets like Gramma Records in Zimbabwe and then reselling for foreign currency in countries like Namibia. They say even the production receipts from Gramma Records and Customs duty payments are not deterring the police who seem to be on a crackdown of all traders from Zimbabwe.

A huge number of Zimbabwean refugees displaced by operation Murambatsvina are fleeing to neighboring countries and trying to eke out a living in a new environment. Most vendors feel the Zimbabwean government is now putting pressure on its neighbors to chase them back into the country. Former Student Leader Charlton Hwende, who also runs a business in Namibia, says his office is currently flooded by Zimbabweans seeking legal advice after their wares were confiscated. He says the 12 000 rand fine is excessive and falls under a 1984 Namibian copyright law that applies to companies and not individuals.

The Namibians are however using this on individual Zimbabwean traders, resulting in a significant number being locked up for failing to pay. The act imposes a jail term of 3 years if you fail to pay the fine. Political temperatures in Namibia are said to be at boiling point. Two weeks back Zimbabwean exiles there held a successful demonstration at the country's embassy protesting the police demolitions currently taking place back home. This has forced the Zimbabwean problem to be a topical issue, even on Namibian TV.