Arts and crafts dealers relocated as Kavita Park palm trees are being pruned

62 Vendors operating at Kavita Park in Swakopmund selling arts and handcrafted goods have been temporarily relocated to the parking lot at the tennis courts. These micro entrepreneurs will operate from this new site for the time being, whilst the palm trees at Kavita Park are pruned.

The decision regarding the temporary relocation was taken during the ordinary council meeting at the end of September. Although it was decided the vendors will relocate to the area next to the Amphitheatre the vendors are instead operating at the tennis court.
“Kavita Park is surrounded by a number of palm trees providing shade to vendors and also beautifying the area. These palm trees have not had any pruning done for a long time, as a result the old branches are hazardous and unsightly, and can easily fall down resulting in injuries to vendors or members of the public”, it states.
It was therefore decided to prune these palm trees over a period of one month.
Initially the vendors were engaged to discuss the possibility of closing their businesses for a month while the pruning exercise is ongoing. The vendors objected to this in a letter as they will suffer a loss of income. They instead requested to be temporarily relocated to the adjacent tennis court parking area.
“This suggestion was, however, found to be impossible to implement, as the particular site is in private hands”, it further states. Council therefore decided to rather utilise the site at the Amphitheatre, but the vendors have instead been located to the tennis court area.
While the pruning is ongoing, Council also decided to pave an area next to Kavita Park to accommodate the Ovahimba traders. The Ovahimba traders are currently operating on the walkway behind the Swakopmund Museum. Council decided the Ovahimba traders relocate to Kavita park after the renovation and operate from the new site in future.