Namibia: Bringing the News Closer to the People

What the report says

Namibia’s newspaper street vendors are the focus of a feature published by The Namibian and distributed by AllAfrica, which highlights how they continue to connect printed news with readers in Windhoek despite growing digital competition. The story centers on Naftal Thomas, a vendor who has sold newspapers at the Game intersection on Simeon Shixungileni Street for more than 20 years.

According to the article, Thomas starts work before dawn, collects newspapers from The Namibian’s street sales office in Windhoek West, and sells at a busy traffic junction where commuters and parents passing through the area create steady morning demand. He says he used to take more than 100 papers but now typically takes 50, linking the decline to weaker economic conditions, the effects of Covid-19 and the shift toward online news.

Thomas tells the paper that he still values the job because it provides income and daily contact with customers. He also argues that street vendors remain important for readers who want quick access to news without going to a shop. The article presents his routine as part of wider changes in media consumption in Namibia, while underscoring the continuing role of informal distribution in reaching the public.

The piece notes that the interview was conducted in 2025 as part of The Namibian’s 40th anniversary coverage.