Traders speak out after devastating Custom Market blaze wipes out businesses

JUBA – A catastrophic fire at Juba’s Custom Market has wiped out thousands of shops, leaving traders with nothing as families face a sudden collapse in income.

The blaze, described by witnesses as fast-moving and uncontrollable, struck at a critical moment when traders had fully stocked their stalls in preparation for the Christmas shopping season, amplifying both economic and social consequences.

Market fires in South Sudan are a recurrent hazard due to the structure of informal trading zones across the country. Most shops are built from makeshift materials—timber frames, zinc roofing sheets, plastic coverings and packed wooden stalls that stand only inches apart. Combined with narrow pathways and no firebreaks, even a small spark can spread across entire blocks in minutes, overwhelming any attempt at response.

Custom Market, one of the busiest commercial centres in Juba, is especially vulnerable. Traders say that unmanaged congestion, the construction of temporary huts, and blocked access roads have rendered the market hazardous for years.

The blaze exposed these weaknesses decisively, sweeping through highly flammable structures at a time when shops were stocked with high-value Christmas inventory, creating losses that traders say are unprecedented.

Women, who make up the bulk of the market’s workforce and are the primary income earners in many households, say they are now left with nothing. Many are widows or single mothers who rely exclusively on market earnings for school fees, food and rent.

With the fire destroying both stock and shop structures, thousands of families have been pushed into crisis as the festive season approaches. Mary Keji John, head of businesswomen in the Custom Market, said the destruction has fallen heavily on women.

“This fire has severely affected us as women; we have nothing to support our families. We need help for both men and women in business, and we urge the government to stand with us and take measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” she said, appealing for direct support to traders.

Traders who spoke to Sudans Post said the total destruction across more than 3,000 shops is far greater than early assessments suggested. Based on the ruined inventory, properties and rental structures, some said the combined losses could reach trillions of South Sudanese pounds, especially given that nearly every stall was stocked for Christmas sales when the fire struck.

The level of individual loss is already clear. Abdu, a trader of assorted goods, said he lost about $8,000 in stock, plus $3,500 worth of goods he had purchased for the Christmas season. He said he has no means to feed or educate his family, and the blaze erased everything he had worked for over five years.

“I lost a lot in this unfortunate fire—approximately $8,000. Before the fire, I stocked up with $3,500 worth of goods in preparation for the Christmas season, in addition to existing goods,” Abdu said.

For widows like Sartin Keji, the devastation is overwhelming. She said she lost millions of pounds’ worth of items but cannot quantify the exact amount. She explained that her shop income was the only support system for her four children after her husband’s death, and she now has nothing to restart with.

“We are really regretting what happened this year. I started working in the Custom Market in 2013; my husband was killed, and I have four children. I brought up my children with earnings from the market, paying school fees and taking care of them. I have not taken anything from the shop; I keep my money at home, and I do not know what we can do. My children are orphans, and what can we do as South Sudanese women?” she asked.

Some of the heaviest losses were reported by long-time traders. James Hakim, who has been in business since 1989, said all four of his shops and several rental tukuls were destroyed.

“What is not this incident happen? It happened in 2004; there was a fire outbreak in Customs, and some people lost their lives. People lost their properties, but the government of Sudan was strong. The government of Sudan provided support to the traders; it gave us money and goods, and we hope the South Sudan government will stand by us,” Hakim said.

“The fire started, and we do not know how it began. I have four shops and six huts, all of which are rented, and three of the shops are rented. I have worked in the fish market, and I am now the head of the fish market,” he added.

Teresa John, who has survived five separate market fires in her career, said this one pushed her into despair. She said she has no food, rent, school fees or medical money left and urged the government to help in the renovation efforts.

“We call on the government to reinstate the market, and if there is anything we could be able to access, it can be taken. I started with clothes, I brought my son, and he is now grown. We call on the government to support us; I have experienced market fires five times. Yesterday I fell into despair; I have nothing to eat, and there are no rents, school fees, or medical bills. Please, government, help us,” she said.

Younger traders like Neema Knight, who started working in 2016, said the fire has brought them “to zero level.” She lost her sewing machine, her only income source. “I have not been able to sleep; we need support. I just need a tailoring machine to start again,” she said, adding that the burden always falls on women even when husbands are present.

The fire has also struck those already carrying dual responsibilities at home. Jane Kiden, a widow who built her business from an umbrella stall to a shop, said she avoided entering the burning stall because she feared leaving her children totally alone.

“I started in 2012; the old Custom Market was demolished, and we came to the new Custom Market. We were running up and down with the authorities. I find the fire tense. I want to enter the shop, but I discourage myself because if I get burned, the children will suffer even more. My place was burnt to ashes; the children were left with Monday food, a day before the fire outbreak. What can we do now? The children will die, and they will be pushed to the streets. We need a little support to feed the family, and I cannot tell the government a fixed amount. Children are dying, and they will suffer. Let the government not sleep because of us,” she stated.

The Central Equatoria Chamber of Commerce has pledged to assist in recovery, with its chairperson, Robert Pitia, saying the state and national chambers “stand firmly behind businesswomen” and will work with authorities to rebuild a safer market. He urged humanitarian organisations to prioritise widows and vulnerable traders in any emergency support.

“The state and national chambers of commerce stand firmly behind businesswomen. We want everyone to return to the market, and we will find ways to manage such incidents. Together, we will work to build a far better market,” said Pitia.

“I appeal to organisations to come and help; these are vulnerable individuals, many of whom are widows who need support. We urge the government to expedite efforts to restore the market and to find a lasting solution to prevent future incidents,” he added.

The national Chamber of Commerce, led by Losidik Lado Lukak Legge, has begun registering affected traders to produce a detailed assessment.

“We want to register those affected by the fire, so we can determine how many shops and huts have been destroyed. We will present our findings to the Juba City Council, the governor of Central Equatoria State, and the national government to seek assistance for those impacted,” said Legge during an inspection visit to the affected individuals at the Custom Market.

“This issue affects not only the chamber of commerce but the entire nation. We stand in solidarity with the traders and will return to the Juba City Council to identify market segments for businesspeople,” he added.

Structural conditions inside the market amplified the destruction. Charles Laku Joseph, chairperson of the Custom Market Chamber of Commerce, said emergency vehicles could not enter the market because all roads were blocked by temporary huts and wheelbarrows.

“I have worked here for a long time, but there has never been such a tragic incident. I am shocked and cannot speak about it. My message is to the Juba City Council: I call on the Juba City Council to open up the roads. All roads are blocked with temporary huts and wheelbarrows; vehicles cannot enter the market, and that is why the catastrophe occurred. The market was really stocked, and people were prepared for Christmas,” he said.

Monday’s blaze highlights long-standing structural weaknesses in urban markets across South Sudan. With most trading spaces built from makeshift materials and crowded beyond capacity, the risk of catastrophic fires remains constant.

As thousands of families now face uncertainty at the height of the Christmas season, traders fear prolonged hardship unless the government intervenes with compensation, regulation and reconstruction.