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Festive season beach ban for Eastern Cape and Garden Route as Ramaphosa tightens Covid-19 regulations

Festive season beach ban for Eastern Cape and Garden Route as Ramaphosa tightens Covid-19 regulations
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced tighter regulations on Monday to fight a second wave of coronavirus infections in South Africa. (Photo: Elmond Jiyane / GCIS)

Beaches on the Garden Route and in the Eastern Cape will be closed from 16 December after President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, 14 December, announced tighter restrictions for both districts and the country as a whole to fight the second wave of coronavirus infections.

South Africans will start the festive season with an 11pm curfew, and even earlier in hotspots, restricted hours on the sale of alcohol and no access to beaches on the Garden Route and in the Eastern Cape after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced tighter regulations to fight a second wave of coronavirus infections in South Africa.

“One of the greatest challenges we need to confront are the huge crowds that flock to beaches and recreational parks on public holidays over the festive season,” Ramaphosa said.  

“We have undertaken extensive consultations on this issue so that we can find an approach that reduces the risk of large-scale transmission while limiting the negative impact on businesses in coastal areas. 

“We have therefore agreed to adopt a differentiated approach, which takes into account the different circumstances in different areas of the country. 

“In the areas with the highest rate of infection, beaches and public parks will be closed for the duration of the festive season from the 16th of December to the 3rd of January. This will apply to all of the Eastern Cape, as well as to the Garden Route District in the Western Cape. 

“In KwaZulu-Natal, beaches and public parks will be closed on what are traditionally the busiest days of the season,” he said, explaining that these days are 16 December, Christmas Day and the Day of Goodwill, 31 December and 1 to 3 January.

The beaches and public parks of the Western Cape and Northern Cape – with the exception of the Garden Route – will remain open to the public over the festive season, the president said.

A grave Ramaphosa provided some worrying statistics showing how the second outbreak of the coronavirus was escalating in South Africa.

On 3 December there were 4,400 new cases of the virus in the country. Ten days later South Africa recorded nearly 8,000 new cases. 

The cumulative number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country on Monday stood at 866,127. 

“These figures are a cause for great concern. There can no longer be any doubt – the country has entered a second wave of coronavirus infections,” Ramaphosa said. 

“Given the rate at which new cases have grown over the last two weeks, there is every possibility that if we do not act urgently and if we do not act together, the second wave will be more severe than the first wave.” 

He said in the past week the number of new cases had increased from a daily average of around 3,800 to just over 6,600 a day. 

“The daily average of Covid-19 deaths has increased by nearly 50% over the same period, from just over 100 deaths a day to just over 150 deaths.” 

Ramaphosa echoed the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, who last week announced that the current outbreak was driven by four provinces: the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. 

“For the first time in this pandemic, most of the new infections are among young people, particularly those in the age group of 15 to 19 years. There are probably many reasons for this massive spike in infections, but some key contributors are now becoming clearer. Gatherings – especially social gatherings and parties – are the largest source of outbreaks.” 

Ramaphosa said physical distancing was not being observed, venues were overcrowded and not adequately ventilated and hand sanitisers were not readily available, people were not wearing masks and were drinking alcohol, making them less careful about protecting themselves.

“The recent post-matric Rage festival event in Ballito is a harsh reminder of how dangerous large gatherings can be. We now know that nearly 1,000 young people from Gauteng who attended the event have tested positive for the coronavirus. What we don’t yet know is how many more people each of them has infected. It is said that up to 300 families could in turn have been infected,” Ramaphosa said. 

“The sad truth about this pandemic is that festivals, concerts and parties – which should be occasions for fun and joy – are proving to be sources of infection and illness, and may even lead to deaths.” 

He added that increased travel over the festive season could also increase the risk of being infected, stressing that it was “absolutely essential” to open windows, wear a mask and limit the number of passengers in a vehicle

Ramaphosa said following visits by Mkhize to the Garden Route and the Sarah Baartman District in the Eastern Cape these two areas had been also declared coronavirus hotspots.

The Sarah Baartman District includes many towns that are frequented by holidaymakers each year, including Graaff-Reinet and the popular seaside towns of Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis. Because of a lack of hospitals in the area most patients from this district are sent to Nelson Mandela Bay.

The district currently has the highest incidence rate of Covid-19 in the province of 488/100,000, according to the latest epidemiological report by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. The incidence rate for Nelson Mandela Bay is estimated to be 288/100,000.

Ramaphosa said additional restrictions, which are already in place in Nelson Mandela Bay, would also apply to the Garden Route and the Sarah Baartman District. These include a 10pm curfew and strict restrictions on social gatherings. Restrictions in Nelson Mandela Bay also include a ban on drinking at the beach and in public parks, but Ramaphosa announced that all beaches and recreational parks in the Eastern Cape would be closed from 16 December.

The curfew for all areas except the hotspots has been set from 11pm to 4am. The sale of alcohol at retailers nationally has been banned from Friday to Sunday except at registered wine farms, “due to the vital contribution of these establishments to the tourism sector in several parts of the country”.

Ramaphosa said there must be stricter enforcement of existing Alert Level 1 restrictions throughout the country during the festive season and beyond. 

“This includes the requirement that drivers and operators of any form of public transport must ensure that all passengers wear a mask. The managers or owners of buildings, places or premises – including retail stores, shopping centres, and government buildings – are obliged by law to ensure that all customers who enter their facilities or buildings wear a mask. 

“An employer must ensure that all employees wear a mask while they perform their duties. This places a responsibility on all owners, managers and employers – and on all of us – to ensure that South Africans are safe whenever they are in any of these places. The responsible individuals who do not ensure compliance with the regulations by their passengers, customers or employees will be liable to a fine or to imprisonment of up to six months,” he said. 

Also similar to hotspot restrictions in Nelson Mandela Bay, gatherings – including religious gatherings – may not be attended by more than 100 people at indoor events and 250 at outdoor events, and venues may only be filled to a maximum of 50% of capacity. 

“All gatherings must include adequate ventilation, social distancing, wearing of masks and provision of hand-sanitiser,” the president said.

All post-funeral gatherings have also been prohibited.

All festivals, live music and live performances at beaches are prohibited, and beaches and parks that are open to the public will only be open between 9am and 6pm.

“The situation will be monitored daily by local authorities to ensure compliance with the regulations on gatherings and the prohibition of alcohol. In instances where there are large crowds or poor compliance with safety measures, specific beaches and recreational parks will be closed.”  

Members of the National Coronavirus Command Council are on standby and “should the situation deteriorate, further action will be taken to protect our people”. 

Ramaphosa said the 11pm curfew (and the 10pm curfew in hotspots) would also apply to Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. 

Alcohol consumption in all public spaces, such as beaches and parks, is strictly forbidden. 

“Unless we take precautions we will face a bleak new year,” he cautioned, adding that it was possible to have a holiday that is both “festive and safe”.

Ramaphosa announced that the first batches of a Covid-19 vaccine would be made available to South Africa early next year.

“South Africa has concluded all the necessary processes to ensure its participation in the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 Global Vaccine Access Facility. 

“This facility – known as Covax – pools resources and shares vaccine development risk to ensure equitable access to vaccines when they become available. As part of this facility, it is expected that South Africa will receive initial vaccines to cover 10% of our population in the early part of next year.

“The next few weeks are going to be a great test of our determination and restraint. This period will require each of us to do things differently to previous years because this year is unlike any other we have lived through before. It will require us to give up some short-lived pleasures to protect ourselves and others, and to ensure that we can enjoy such times together in future years. 

“I am convinced that if we each play our part, if we each follow the few basic precautions, then we can all have a joyful festive season – and, most importantly, we can all have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year,” he said. DM/MC

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  • Darryl van Blerk says:

    Protect young people you say? Below is a general breakdown of fatalities from Covid. The information is from September but the ratios persist. Of all the mortalities, especially among older people, the vast majority had serious comorbitities.
    Age CDC IFR
    0-19 years 0.003%
    20-49 years 0.020%
    50-69 years 0.500%
    70+ years 5.400%
    A young person is 30 times more likely to die of the flu.

    • eric mair says:

      It’s just a bunch of nincompoops thrashing about trying to look as if they are doing something (other than robbing us blind).

      • Anita Laubscher says:

        I’m glad your world is not my world, Eric. Any vaguely responsible government would be forced to intervene at this stage of the pandemic, and I think this is a reasonable and well balanced intervention.

  • Belinda Roxburgh says:

    Ironically these measures will make little difference to this virus but quite possibly exacerbate the situation. People will still gather, but behind closed doors, no sunshine and fresh air. Stress and fear lowers immunity, more businesses will die, more families pushed into poverty which means much higher death rates and suffering long term. I also wonder what effect the over sterilising and lack of sport this year has had on our children’s immunity ? Perhaps this is why they now testing “positive” as their immune systems will be at an all time low.

  • Rob Glenister says:

    In the main, I didn’t have a problem with last night’s announcements. RhamaDoLittle didn’t have many options – caught between economic needs on one side, securocrats on another and idiots violating the rules in the middle. However, the bureaucrats had to have the last senseless word, as always. Beaches that are open may only be accessed from 09h00 to 18h00. How daft is that. It’s dog walkers, runners and swimmers out for healthy exercise who go to the beach before 09h00 – not sunbathers who want to tan in tight groups. No logic.

  • Ritchie Morris says:

    Closing ALL beaches in the Garden Route is illogical – and then leaving the Durban beaches open – makes no sense at all. The Durban beaches are in a large city and get 1000’s of people. Some remote beaches of the Garden Route get very few people – its only really Plett main beach, and Myoli beach and the river mouth at Sedgefield, plus Buffalo Bay that may get big crowds. Greater clarity is needed – what about those who go angling at sunrise or sunset – a few lone or in pairs fishermen standing on the rocks or in the surf casting a line – are the beaches closed to them too. The beach-walkers who wander along the Goukamma coastal area = very remote and healthy. Far less risky than going to the shops. We all need to play our part, but illogical restrictions that have wider consequences and make absolutely no sense in controlling covid numbers are unfortunate. Common sense is not so common any more. Duh!

    • Bernhard Scheffler says:

      Indeed. Our bureaucrats make some truly counterproductive regulations.

    • Bridget McCormick says:

      Common sense had nothing to do with the rules and regulations this bunch put in place right from the start. It was a power play or an opportunity to make money – or both as was the case with the cigarette ban.

  • Brian Townsend says:

    Once again this has not been thought through . Gatherings of up to 250 persons in open air is permitted but being on a beach in the open air ( except Durban )where people are mostly separated by more than two metres is not ,boggles the mind . I wait with interest to see what happens on Durban beaches on those lockdown days . The Eastern Cape also has many smaller beaches which are not frequented by hordes of people but are included in the ban . I echo the reply by Eric Mair to Darryl van Blerk post .

  • Patrick Millerd says:

    Another example of totally illogical and irritating restrictions that again invite people to become criminals. Going on to a deserted beach in the Eastern Cape is now a crime!! Sitting in a mob of 250 five metres from the beach is fine. Thats dumb!
    Maybe the time has come to fight back with responsible civil disobedience?

    • Bridget McCormick says:

      Somehow I cannot see these new restrictions being policed very well – there is no way the authorities are going to hold back the many many people who celebrate on the main public beaches at Christmas time. The same with the smaller and mostly deserted beaches; I think it will be business as usual. I feel for the owners of restaurants though, who were hoping to make up a little after a truly tough year.

      • Anita Laubscher says:

        I think the Cape Beaches will be closed soon. I’m at the beach a lot in summer, and it does get very, very crowded, even on the small out of the way beach where I go.

  • David Hill says:

    Once again, “idiocy rules” from a power-hungry, illogical, NCCC lining up to help looting cadres. Close huge beaches in the E Cape & Garden Route for weeks, but only on a few days in KZN (let’s not upset the voters here!) where these become covered in humanity to the extent that the sand is not visible. Have public gatherings and services up to 100 inside and 250 outside at venues (oh, & the 50% rule) , but don’t allow people on the beach for walks, festivals, etc. And so it goes on……. irrationality in the extreme. It seems a pity that Govt. did not put as much effort into securing vaccine supplies, barely 10% of what is required apparently and even that is not definite. It could have been more if billions had not been looted in the PPE sagas. So sad – a pandemic of stupidity & greed.

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