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President Cyril Ramaphosa announced stricter regulations Monday to combat a second wave of coronavirus infections in South Africa. (Photo: Elmond Jiyane / GCIS)
Garden Route and Eastern Cape beaches will be closed as of December 16 after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday, December 14, stricter restrictions for both districts and the country as a whole to combat the second wave of coronavirus infections. .
South Africans will start the holiday season with a curfew at 11 p.m., and even earlier at hotspots, restricted hours on alcohol sales, and no access to beaches on Garden Route and in the Eastern Cape after the president Cyril Ramaphosa will announce stricter regulations to fight a second. wave of coronavirus infections in South Africa.
“One of the biggest challenges we must face is the large crowds that flock to beaches and recreational parks on holidays during the holiday season,” Ramaphosa said.
“We have consulted extensively on this issue so that we can find an approach that reduces the risk of large-scale transmission and limits the negative impact on businesses in coastal areas.
“Therefore, we have agreed to take a differentiated approach, which takes into account the different circumstances in different areas of the country.
“In areas with the highest contagion rate, beaches and public parks will be closed during the festive season from December 16 to January 3. This will apply to the entire Eastern Cape as well as the Garden Route district in the Western Cape.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, the beaches and public parks will be closed on what are traditionally the busiest days of the season,” he said, explaining that these days are December 16, Christmas Day and Good Morning. will, on December 31 and from January 1 to 3.
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 during the holiday season, the president said.
A severe Ramaphosa provided some troubling statistics showing how the second coronavirus outbreak was increasing in South Africa.
On December 3, 4,400 new cases of the virus were registered in the country. Ten days later, South Africa registered almost 8,000 new cases.
The cumulative number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country on Monday stood at 866,127.
“These figures are 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 speed at which new cases have increased in the last two weeks, there is a possibility that if we do not act urgently and if we do not act together, the second wave will be more serious than the first.”
He said that last week the number of new cases had risen from a daily average of around 3,800 to just over 6,600 a day.
“The daily average of deaths from Covid-19 has increased by almost 50% during the same period, from just over 100 deaths per day to just over 150 deaths.”
Ramaphosa echoed Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize, who announced last week that the current outbreak was driven by four provinces: Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
“For the first time in this pandemic, most new infections are occurring among young people, especially those in the 15-19 age group. There are probably many reasons for this massive increase in infections, but some key contributors are now becoming clearer. Gatherings, especially social gatherings and parties, are the biggest source of breakouts. ”
Ramaphosa said there was no physical distancing observed, venues were crowded and not adequately ventilated and there were no hand sanitizers available, people did not wear masks and drink alcohol, making them less careful about protecting themselves.
“The recent post-matric Rage festival event in Ballito is a stark reminder of how dangerous large gatherings can be. We now know that nearly 1,000 young people from Gauteng who attended the event tested positive for the coronavirus. What we do not yet know is how many more people each of them has infected. It is said that up to 300 families in turn could have been infected, ”said Ramaphosa.
“The sad truth about this pandemic is that festivals, concerts and parties, which should be occasions of fun and joy, are proving to be sources of infection and disease, and can even cause death.”
He added that increased travel during the holiday season could also increase the risk of infection, stressing that it was “absolutely essential” to open windows, wear a mask and limit the number of passengers in a vehicle.
Ramaphosa said that after Mkhize’s visits to the Garden Route and the Sarah Baartman district in the Eastern Cape, these two areas had also been declared coronavirus hot spots.
The Sarah Baartman district includes many cities that are frequented by tourists each year, such as Graaff-Reinet and the popular seaside towns of Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay, and Cape St Francis. Due to the lack of hospitals in the area, the majority of patients from this district are referred to Nelson Mandela Bay.
The district currently has the highest Covid-19 incidence rate in the province of 488 / 100,000, according to the latest epidemiological report from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases. The incidence rate for Nelson Mandela Bay is estimated to be 288 / 100,000.
Ramaphosa said the 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 10 p.m. curfew and strict restrictions on social gatherings. The restrictions in Nelson Mandela Bay also include a ban on drinking on the beach and in public parks, but Ramaphosa announced that all beaches and recreation parks in the Eastern Cape would be closed as of December 16.
The curfew for all areas, except access points, has been established from 11 pm to 4 am The sale of alcohol in retail stores nationwide is prohibited from Friday to Sunday except in registered wine estates, “by the vital contribution of these establishments to the tourism sector in various parts of the country ”.
Ramaphosa said there should be stricter enforcement of existing Level 1 Alert restrictions across the country during the holiday season and beyond.
“This includes the requirement that drivers and operators of any form of public transportation must ensure that all passengers wear a mask. Managers or owners of buildings, venues, or premises, including retail stores, shopping centers, and government buildings, are required by law to ensure that all customers entering their premises or buildings wear a mask.
“An employer must ensure that all employees wear a mask while performing their duties. This places the responsibility on all owners, managers and employers, and all of us, to ensure that South Africans are safe whenever they are in any of these places. Those responsible who do not ensure compliance with the regulations by their passengers, customers or employees will be sanctioned with a fine or imprisonment of up to six months, “he said.
Also similar to the hotspot restrictions in Nelson Mandela Bay, gatherings, including religious gatherings, cannot have more than 100 people at indoor events and 250 at outdoor events, and venues can only be filled to a maximum of 50 % of its capacity.
“All meetings should include adequate ventilation, social distancing, use of masks and provision of hand sanitizer,” said the president.
All post-funeral gatherings have also been banned.
All festivals, live music, and live performances on the beaches are prohibited, and the beaches and parks that are open to the public will only be open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
“The situation will be monitored daily by the local authorities to ensure compliance with the regulations on social gatherings and the prohibition of alcohol. In cases where there are large crowds or poor enforcement of security measures, specific beaches and recreational parks will be closed. ”
Members of the National Coronavirus Command Council are on standby and “if the situation deteriorates, more measures will be taken to protect our people.”
Ramaphosa said the 11pm curfew (and the 10pm curfew at critical points) would also apply to Christmas and New Years Eve.
The consumption of alcohol in all public spaces, such as beaches and parks, is strictly prohibited.
“Unless we take precautions, we will face a gloomy new year,” he warned, adding that it is possible to have a holiday that is both “festive and safe.”
Ramaphosa announced that the first batches of a Covid-19 vaccine will be available for South Africa early next year.
“South Africa has completed all the necessary processes to ensure its participation in the World Health Organization’s Global Covid-19 Vaccine Access Center.
“This facility, known as Covax, pools resources and shares vaccine development risk to ensure equitable access to vaccines when available. As part of this installation, South Africa is expected to receive initial vaccinations to cover 10% of our population early next year.
“The next few weeks will be a great test of our determination and restraint. This period will require each of us to do things differently from previous years because this year is different from any other we have experienced before. It will require us to give up some short-lived pleasures to protect ourselves and others, and to make sure we can enjoy those moments together for years to come.
“I am convinced that if we all do our part, follow the few basic precautions, we can all have a joyous holiday season and, most importantly, we can all have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.” he said. DM / MC
