Profile of Swakopmund 2017 by Legends of Africa

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

The Kristall Galerie is the result of a man of passion, enthusiasm and vision, Johannes Adolf Kleynhans. What started out as a hobby, collecting stones and revise them, became a lifelong desire to collect the beautiful gems God created. The Kristall Galerie, founded in 1998, has been designed for you to share in and discover some of the earth's most beautiful masterpieces – a fascinating display of crystals and gemstones. FORECOURT The forecourt depicts the remnants of an eruption – a prelude to the beauty within.

GARDEN Discover the various assorted tumbled semi-precious gemstones.

GEMSHOP Gemstone mementoes – designed bead necklaces, objects of art, carvings, etc

CRAFT AREA Watch the experts at work to reform the gems into jewellery and gifts.

LA TOURMALINE The Jewellery boutique presents fine handcrafted Individual designed jewellery.

MANUFACTURING STUDIO Designer handcrafted fine jewellery in 14 and 18 Karat gold with diamonds.

GEMS EXQUISITE A new addition to our flagship. Cut stones & designer jewelry.

CRYSTAL DISPLAYS Collection of “earth keepers”, minerals and gems.

CRYSTAL CAVE Replica of the original tourmaline mine. Magnificent collection of crystals.

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

When approaching Swakopmund, having driven through the stark desert countryside, the quaint outline of palm trees and towers mystically appears like a mirage of an ancient city in a faraway land. These atmospheric conditions result from the dense bank of coastal fog that hangs over the cold Atlantic Ocean on most mornings, dissipating as the sun rises higher in the sky. Swakopmund is Namibiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main seaside resort with a cool and bracing climate and its large numbers of restaurants and shops, a multitude of activities and adventures on

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

offer, carefully tended public gardens, a wide choice of B&Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and hotels, as well as coffee shops selling traditional German cakes and pastries, make it an enjoyable holiday destination. Furthermore, Swakopmund presents itself as a promising, growing town with ample investment potential and a unique charm that will captivate and enchant you and once you have visited this little oasis, nestled between the Namib Desert and the fresh Atlantic Ocean, it will beckon you to return, repeatedly.

COMPILED AND DESIGNED FOR: Municipality of Swakopmund | P O Box 53, Swakopmund Tel: +264 (0)64 410 4111 | Fax: +264 (0)64 410 4120 E-mail: agebhardt@swkmun.com.na Web: www.swkmun.com.na

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PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Welcome

Emergency numbers

Swakopmund Neighbourhood Watch

Coat of Arms, Vision and Mission

Location

Climate

History

The Function of the Municipality

Tourism & Shopping

Places to Visit

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

Activities & Leisure

Restaurants, Entertainment & Events

Accommodation

CBD Map of Swakopmund

Commercial & Business Sector

Agents

Services

Industrial & Commercial

Category Listing

Alphabetic Listing

BACK INSIDE COVER: Map of Swakopmund Riverbed Development BACK COVER: Ulli Pack Developments BACK FLAP: Peralin Paints PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

MAYORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MESSAGE On behalf of the Swakopmund Municipality and the residents of Swakopmund, I welcome you to our beautiful town; a holiday resort and tourist destination, the smile of Namibia. Swakopmund has much to offer to young and old, visitors and investors; whether you want to relax by enjoying a day of sunbathing, sitting back on one of the beaches or enjoyng one of the numerous other activities, you have come to the right place. Our extreme sports makes life nothing less than an adventure with, skydiving, go-karting, sandboarding, quad biking, paragliding, kite surfing, and more to keep the adrenaline going. If adrenaline is not your favorite pastime you can explore our scenic desert, go on a township tour, play golf, go fishing, camel/horse riding, or visit the historic museum, the aquarium, or the Arts & Crafts Centre showcasing the talents of our different Namibian cultures. At the end of the day, you are spoilt for choice by Swakopmundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large variety of exquisite food restaurants, cafes and take-aways. Swakopmund truly has it all. Swakopmund is the capital of the Erongo Region and many Government Ministries have their headquarters in town. This has helped us to sustain fiscal stability and ensures continuous economic investment. All the mines in the surroundings also call Swakopmund home thereby creating an environment that is attractive for families, tourists, the various sectors of industry and investors. Investment in Swakopmund has risen continually for the last 20 years and our town is growing stronger as we are receiving more exposure nationally and internationally. We have become the alternative to the capital city as a venue for hosting national and international events. The Swakopmund Municipality, management and staff are proud to call Swakopmund home and we welcome you to enjoy your experience here, whether it is for business, a relaxed holiday or adventure.

Pauline Nashilundo MAYOR SWAKOPMUND

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

EMERGENCY NUMBERS AMBULANCE

FIRE BRIGADE

410 6000 | Emed 24: 061 41 1600 | 081 924

410 4639 | 081 128 5613 | 081 122 4653 | 081 127 9872

ELECTRICITY 41 3600 | After hours : 081 129 5229 | 081 128 556 | 081 128 5526

HOSPITAL

POLICE

41 5000

TRAFFIC

41 5060

WATER

SEWERAGE

SEA RESCUE SERVICES

410 6000

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

410 4436 | After hours: 081 128 4998

410 4432 | After hours: 081 128 4993

10111

THE SWAKOPMUND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH IS A GROUP OF DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN OF SWAKOPMUND WHO ARE ON STANDBY DAY AND NIGHT TO KEEP SWAKOPMUND CRIME FREE. The organisation was established in June 2012 with approximately ten members. People who saw the importance of such an operation volunteered to join. Within 2 months there were fifty members and by December 2013 they had over three hundred active patrollers.

House break-ins have decreased by 75% to less than five break-ins per month. Overall criminal reports have dropped from one hundred per month to fifty per month. None of this would have been possible without donations from the public and the dedication of the volunteers who patrol our streets.

ession float

KÃ¼ska Carnival street proc

If you would like to make a donation or become a member please contact Mike Nederlof on email: info@swk-nw.com or Tel: 085 999

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

SWAKOPMUND COAT OF ARMS The new coat of arms was proposed by Mr Eckart Demasius, Chief Executive Officer and submitted to council and approved on 28 August 2008. The national heritage council approved the new coat of arms during February 2009. The motto, providentiae memor means ‘mindful of your destiny’. The explanations for the symbols are as follows: • The Welwitschia Mirabilis plant has only two leaves and can live for over a thousand years and its marvellous ability to survive in such harsh, apparently waterless conditions symbo-lizes gender equality and equality in general and the ability to survive and to keep growing. • The lighthouse is a well-known landmark in Swakopmund and serves to accentuate Swakopmund’s seaside on the Atlantic Ocean. • T he Namibian National Flag: - The sun symbolizes life and energy. The colour gold represents warmth and the colour of our plains and the Namib Desert.

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

- B lue symbolizes the Namibian sky, the Atlantic Ocean, our marine resources and the importance of rain and water. - Red represents the Namibian people, their heroism and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity for all. - White refers to peace and unity. - Green symbolizes Namibia’s vegetation and agricultural resources. • The building portrays the historical buildings in Swakopmund, which form the medieval part of our joint heritage

VISION AND MISSION OUR VISION IS: To provide and maintain safe, sufficient and affordable services for residents and visitors and promote future development to the benefit of our community. OUR MISSION IS: • React to the needs of the residents and the visitors of Swakopmund. • C reate an organisational environment that promotes learning, respect, trust, support, personal growth and productivity in order to develop effective and committed employees.

• C reate policies and procedures for equal opportunity in recruitment, employment and promotion, guided by well-defined Affirmative Action principles. • Generate and efficiently deploy the necessary finances in the best interest of the town. • Strive to maintain an accountable business orientated work ethic. • Accept a high degree of open communication, a participative management style and lead by example. PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

SWAKOPMUND IS SITUATED IN THE NAMIB DESERT AND IS THE FOURTH LARGEST POPULATION CENTRE IN NAMIBIA.

LOCATION Swakopmund lies at the coast of north-western Namibia, 360 km (175 miles) west of Windhoek, Namibia’s capital. It is the capital of the Erongo administrative district. Swakopmund is a beach resort and an example of German colonial architecture. It was founded in 1892

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

as the main harbour for German South-West Africa. The town lies on the B2 road and the Trans-Namib Railway line from Windhoek to Walvis Bay. It is also home to the Swakopmund Airport.

CLIMATE Surrounded by the Namib Desert on three sides and the cold Atlantic waters to the west, Swakopmund enjoys a temperate climate. The average temperature ranges between 15°C (59°F) to 25°C (77°F). Rainfall is less than 15 mm per year, making gutters and drainpipes on buildings a rarity. The cold Benguela current supplies moisture for the

area in the form of fog that can reach as deep as 140 km (87 mi) inland. The fauna and flora of the area have adapted to this phenomenon and now rely upon the fog as a source of moisture. As a seaside resort, the weather is cooler here in December to January, resulting in an influx of visitors to Swakopmund during the festive season.

SWAKOPMUND IN NUMBERS Coordinates: 22°41’S 14°32’E 22.683°S 14.533°E Country: Namibia Administrative Division: Erongo Founded: August 4, 1892

Area Total: 181.3 km2 (70 sq mi) Population: 55,000 Density: 193.1/km2 (500/sq mi) Time zone: South African Standard Time (UTC+1)

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

THE WORD ‘SWAKOPMUND’ IS GERMAN FOR ‘MOUTH OF THE SWAKOP’.

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

HISTORY Swakopmund was founded in 1892, two years later than Windhoek, by Captain Curt von François. It was intended to be the main harbour of German South-West Africa. Increased traffic between Germany and its colony necessitated establishing a port of its own, as Walvis Bay, located 33 kilometres south, was in British possession. The choice was made to use a site north of the Swakop River, because water was readily available, and because other sites were unsuitable. The site did not offer any natural protection to ships lying off the coast, such places being very rare on Namibia’s coast. On 4 August 1892 the crew of a gunboat named Hyäne (German for Hyena) erected two beacons on a large dune, probably in the vicinity of the present lighthouse. This is regarded as the foun-ding date of Swakopmund. The first settlers were 120 Schutztruppen with equipment and 40 settlers who offloaded from the Marie Woermann vessel, using four landing boats. The settlers had to build caves on the beach to protect themselves against hostile weather. Before a breakwater was built in 1898, which later became known as the Mole, all offloading was done with special boats that could only be handled by crewmen from Liberia. At that time, up to 600 crew tribesmen were employed by the Woermann Line. The number of vessels offloading in Swakopmund was increasing rapidly. In 1896 the Woermann Line introduced a bi-monthly service, and in 1899, a monthly service to Swakopmund. Due to a lack of building materials, most of the first settlers’ houses were constructed out of prefabricated wood. Swakopmund quickly became the main port for imports and exports for the whole territory, and was one of six towns which received municipal status in 1909. PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

Many government offices for German SouthWest Africa had offices in Swakopmund. Soon, the harbour created by the Mole silted up, and in 1905 work was started on a wooden jetty, but in the long run this was inadequate. In 1914 construction of an iron jetty was therefore commenced, the remains of which can still be seen today. After World War I it became a pedestrian walkway. It was declared structurally unsound and was closed to the public for seven years and in 2006 renovations to the portion supported by concrete pillars were completed with the remaining portion being alienated. It was reopened to the public in the late 2006 and

has subsequently been upgraded even further with lighting and secure wooden walkways leading to a restaurant at the end of the jetty. Trading and shipping companies founded branches in Swakopmund. A number of these buildings still exist today. After German SouthWest Africa was taken over by the Union of South Africa in 1915, all harbour activities were transferred from Swakopmund to Walvis Bay. Many of the Central Government services ceased. Businesses closed down, the number of inhabitants diminished, and the town became less prosperous. However, the natural potential of Swakopmund as a holiday resort was recognised, and this potential has

CAPTAIN CURT VON FRANCOIS FOUNDED SWAKOPMUND IN 1892 AS THE MAIL HARBOUR FOR THE IMPERIAL GERMAN COLONY.

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

sub-sequently been developed. Today tourismrelated services form an important part of the town’s economy. The discovery of uranium at Rössing in 1928, 70 km (43 mi) outside the town, led to the development of the world’s largest opencast uranium mine. This had an enormous impact on all facets of life in Swakopmund which necessitated expansion of the infrastructure of the town to make it into one of the most modern in Namibia. The development of Arandis, which is recognized as a town of its own, owes its existence to the Rossing Mine and has undergone extensive development in the form of retail, housing and education.

In October 2000 an agreement was signed between the Namibian and People’s Republic of China governments to build a satellite tracking station at Swakopmund. Construction was completed in July 2001 at a site north of Swakopmund to the east of the Henties Bay-Swakopmund road and opposite the Swakopmund Salt Works. The site was chosen as it was on the orbital track of a manned spacecraft during its re-entry phase. Costing N$12 million, the complex covers 150m x 85m. It is equipped with five meter and nine meter satellite dishes.

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

THE FUNCTION OF THE MUNICIPALITY In and around this desert town, development is booming. A new beach front 4 star hotel with conference facilities has been completed. In close proximity, at the main beach, a major retail, office and accommodation complex is under construction. The indoor sports centre offers the largest indoor sporting facility on the Southern African continent. The Waterfront Breakwater Shopping and Hotel complex is now complete and many more private ventures are being developed in town and along the river edge.

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

Just outside Swakopmund, as one enters the desert town from the B1, an Arts and Crafts Centre has been developed, featuring many small and medium enterprise businesses, as well as offering skills training in the fields of hospitality, welding and craft making. The Municipality of Swakopmundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s five year strategic development plan is currently underway, aiming to extend Municipal boundaries, developing new green recreational areas, surfacing roads and creating suf-

ficient infrastructure to manage the influx of new investors and businesses. Emphasis is being placed on creating more parking facilities and on developing new informal settlement areas and affordable, serviced erven in and around Swakopmund.

A new airport contingency and management plan is in place and Road Safety Awareness education programmes are being designed. Town entrances are being improved and an Industrial Park for Small and Medium Enterprises is being developed.

A new CBD Area in North Mondesa is being planned while in excess of 3000 new houses will have been built by December 2016 as part of a mass Housing Project.

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

TOURISM & SHOPPING Swakopmund has become the tourism and shopping mecca of Namibia, boasting an array of well stocked bookshops and boutiques where a good cup of coffee forms part of the package. You can spend a good morning shopping at leisure with many boutiques to browse through, offering the latest in hip labels as well as a wide variety of your typical African Safari fashions. Banks are well represented with all the facilities you require from auto tellers to foreign exchange. The beauty of beach angling in Namibia lies in fact that you can take your 4x4 straight to the beach and the whole family joins in and makes a day of it. The best fishing spots are on the road to Walvis Bay, which lies ±35km south from Swakopmund and also en route to Henties Bay to the north.

PROFILE OF SWAKOPMUND

Famous fishing spots have been identified with very amusing names such as “Bennie se Rooi Lorrie” and “Sara se Gat”. Kids have ample fun meeting at the Mole to swim, buy ice-cream and go body-surfing. A little further on, surfers and kite-surfers brave the wind and the waves, even if it’s only to support the annual regatta from Walvis Bay to Swakopmund, watching the boats coming in with its colorful display of sails – in a nutshell, Swakopmund has it all! Many visitors return annually to enjoy the old-world charm of Swakopmund, with its palm-lined promenade. An oasis neatly nestled between the wild Atlantic Ocean and the world’s most ancient sea of sand, the Namib Desert.

TOURISM & SHOPPING

THE BUSIEST TOURISM SEASON IS BETWEEN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.