Event Gardens crumble:

Ban on wedding celebrations lands owners in debt

Garden owners have come together to form Botswana Events Gardens Association to present their grievances to the relevant authorities as a collective. Tshepo is the association’s chairperson.

He told The Midweek Sun that they will come up with reopening and operating standards for gardens during and post Covid-19, which they will submit to the Ministry of Health and Wellness and other stakeholders. They admit that there are some in their business who spoil their good name by not following protocols but these are mainly people who do not even own gardens. “Such are fond of things like chill sessions and other uncontrolled activities. With us everything will be controlled from sanitisers to social distancing and registration,” Tshepo said.

He advised that gardens should be recommended venues for most events as they are spacious and in the open.

“We wish for a deliberate directive to divert all conferences and workshops to outdoors. If such is done, garden owners will benefit during these hard times. We also wish for relief in legal matters arising from clients and non-payment of loans.”

Tshepo said some garden owners are currently being dragged to court for failure to deliver on their promises yet the situation is beyond their control.

“If only we could have a support grant to revamp the gardens - clients will not want to come back to a dead garden. They come here for elegance and perfection because they are paying,” Tshepo said.