Traders fined SSP50,000 for closing shops on 30th August

JUBA – The Juba City Council has prescribed a fine of SSP50, 000 to be paid by traders who failed to open their shops on Monday, August 30 over the fear of civil protest.

Mayor Kalisto Lado said the rate was agreed upon after consultation with the national and the state Chambers of Commerce.

He said the fine is following the Juba City Council legislative act that regulates public order fines and tax schedules.

Lado said the fine was about ‘‘for traders who violate public order or health act that regulates business operations in the Republic of South Sudan’’.

The Mayor said the fine will be paid by all traders including big companies that decided not to open their businesses on Monday.

He said their intention was not only to impose fine on the traders but also to find out why they did not open on that day, adding that there was no compelling reason for the traders not to open on Monday when the government had put all security arrangements in place to protect people and their property.

The mayor accused the traders who decided to close their shops on Monday of collaborating with those who had called for regime change in South Sudan.

“There was no reason for fear, no reason for panic and there was no reason not to open [shops] because the security situation was calm and the government was in full control,” he argued.

“So whoever did not open his shop on August 30, 2021, it means that this person was collaborating with those people who want regime change. It is clear, the government has put security arrangements for the protection of people and their property,” Lado reiterated.

He claimed that the traders who did not open their shops had intended to make people hungry because they were listening to the People’s Coalition for Civil Action’s call not to open and should go for demonstration.

“So a trader who did not open his or her shop because he listened to the People’s Coalition for Civil Action that people should not open shops, is a trader we want to know, whether he had listened to the government directives or the so-called People’s Coalition for Civil Action,” Lado said.

‘Shape up or ship out’

Lado defended the government saying the government was not against the traders but it encouraged them to continue conducting their businesses.

The mayor warned that the Juba City Council will block traders who did not want to operate under the directives of the government in Juba. He urged traders to conduct their business under the business policy of South Sudan.

“Any trader who does not want to conduct business per government regulations and directives will not have opportunities of working or trading in our markets in Juba,” Lado said.

According to the city council, ‘‘the public order department put those padlocks not because they wanted explanations’’.

“This is to discourage any misbehavior from a trader, this is to discourage any kind of indiscipline from any trader in this country,” Lado stressed.

He termed those who did not listen to the directives of the government to adhere to the directive as people who were “working against the government”.