Juba City Council officials inspect roadside vendors along a major street in Juba during an enforcement operation. – Photo credit: Juba City Council/Facebook.

The Mayor of Juba City, Christopher Sarafino Swaka, has defended the recent removal of street vendors from major roads, saying public safety and health must take priority over informal trading along main streets.

Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, Mayor Swaka acknowledged that many of those affected are women struggling to support their families amid difficult economic conditions.

He said while the city council understands the hardships facing residents and can sometimes exercise flexibility, certain laws on safety, hygiene, and public order cannot be ignored.

“We as a government can sometimes bend the rules and the laws. But there are certain things we cannot bend. We also have a security mandate and rely on intelligence reports,” he explained.

He added that the vendors were mainly removed from main roads and busy public spaces, not residential neighbourhoods.

The mayor also cited intelligence reports indicating that some crowded roadside trading spots, particularly near banks and busy areas, had become gathering points for criminals.

“We have learned that in some of these makeshift trading areas, where people gather at night and even during the day, including near banking institutions, criminals also mix with the public. While there are many innocent people there, some criminals use those places to plan their activities and move among crowds unnoticed,” he said.