A beaming John Savva could not hide his delight after touring the Walvis Bay SME Expo on Saturday morning. Savva said that he never that a small firm like Izani Sportwear was producing sportswear for the export market. The Swakopmund based firm owned by husband-and-wife team, Danie and Marietjie Grobler makes sportswear for the national angling teams of England and South Africa.
Savva was equally impressed by the wide array of other goods produced by local small firms. Not only did the entrepreneur and his spouse tour the stands but they demonstrated support by buying garments, leather goods and other items on offer. He is widely respected in the port town and beyond its municipal boundary, as a seasoned entrepreneur and community leader with business interests in the retailing and property development sectors, among others. A community spirited individual, in addition to serving on numerous boards Savva is currently the chairman of the local branch of Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI). For a number of years he has been the honorary consul of Cyprus in Namibia.
The Mayor of Walvis Bay, Cllr. Derek Klazen was equally impressed when he saw for himself the quality and array of merchandize on offer. Cllr. Klazen officially opened the event on Friday evening. Exhibitors included several garment and leather goods manufacturers, catering firms, upholsters, a firm from Arandis engaged in the provision of light engineering services, cosmetic and healthcare manufacturers, and several upcoming artists and producers of curios and crafts.
To the delight of the audience local music group, Afro Shine, performed numbers from their recently launched CD and by special request performed Mayor Klazen’s special number from the album.
Partnering with the Walvis Bay branch of NCCI, consultancy firm SMEs Compete organized Walvis Bay’s first ever SME Expo. SMEs Compete provides business growth and capacity building support to Namibian small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
SMEs Compete’s Danny Meyer voiced disappointment at the low turnout at the two day event by the management of Walvis Bay corporate firms and by members of the executive of NCCI Walvis Bay. NCCI’s Savva and the chamber’s branch manager, Anne Narburgh, shared the concern. Despite this Meyer says the SME Expo will become an annual event on Walvis Bay’s calendar of business events. Next year’s one will again take place over the last weekend of July.
In addition to local SMEs more than twenty small firms from Windhoek, Rosh Pinah and Arandis participated in the exposition. Their travel and local accommodation was generously sponsored by the German Development Service, Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (DED).    

Walvis Bay Mayor Derek Klazen opens the SME Expo - photo: Tobias Schiedermaier