City Street Vendors Protest Fines Much Higher Than Stock Value

(JUBA CITY) – Local government officials in the Gudele Two and Kuburi Aboba areas of Juba have started a new crackdown on street sellers by handing out expensive fines.

Small business owners and people selling goods from wheelbarrows say they are being forced to pay 500,000 South Sudanese Pounds ($70.42) to keep working on the streets.

The local government says these payments are required by law for anyone using the side of the road or shop verandas to display their goods. Many of the traders are very worried because the fine is much higher than the total value of the items they sell.

Some vendors explained that their whole business is only worth about 200,000 South Sudanese Pounds ($28.17). They say they cannot afford the 500,000 South Sudanese Pounds ($70.42) demand and have asked the government to help poor workers instead of taking their money. They believe these high costs will force many people to close their small shops and businesses.

There is also a lot of confusion about the official papers being used to collect the money. One trader pointed out that the documents given to them in January 2026 were actually stamped and signed in November 2025. Because of this, some sellers are refusing to pay as they believe the paperwork has expired. They are calling on the authorities to use correct and up to date documents before asking for any more payments.

The official demand note from the Juba County office says the fine is for blocking the road or using verandas without permission. On one of the forms, an official wrote that a female trader had been rude to them during the inspection.

However, the traders say they are just trying to survive and that the government should find a better way to manage the streets without making life so hard for local people.

The community is now waiting to see if the Juba County leaders will listen to their complaints and lower the fees. Many people in the area hope that a new agreement can be reached so that businesses can stay open while keeping the roads clear and tidy.

For now, many small scale sellers say they are living in fear of losing everything they own to these high government charges.