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Western Cape Prime Minister Alan Winds.
Malherbe Nienaber / Netwerk24
- Western Cape Prime Minister Alan Winde asked President Cyril Ramaphosa for an urgent meeting to discuss lifting the ban on the beach and alcohol.
- Winde says it is to avoid an economic disaster in the province.
- His proposals include shortening the curfew and reintroducing alcohol sales between Monday and Thursday.
Western Cape Prime Minister Alan Winde asked President Cyril Ramaphosa for an urgent meeting of the President’s Coordinating Council to discuss lifting the ban on the beach and alcohol.
Winde says this is to avoid an “economic disaster” in the province.
READ | Closure: alcohol ban remains
According to Winde, the number of Covid-19 cases in the province is decreasing and health facilities are in a position to cope with the current number of cases.
His proposals include shortening the curfew, reintroducing Monday through Thursday alcohol sales, on-site alcohol consumption, and weekend wine farm alcohol sales.
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“Throughout this pandemic, we have advocated for the right balance to save lives and jobs, and we have not hesitated to take steps to achieve that balance over the past year,” Winde said.
“The reality is that the balance is not currently being struck, and the president needs to use the differentiated approach to help save jobs in the Western Cape and the provinces that have clearly passed their peak.”
Presidential spokesman Tyrone Seale said: “The Presidency has received Prime Minister Winde’s request and this matter is under consideration.”
In supporting his request, Winde cited these research findings:
- If the ban continues for a full month, it will cost the Western Cape economy R2 billion and affect 5,596 jobs;
- Almost 30% of the restaurants surveyed have closed temporarily or permanently, according to data from the South African Restaurant Association;
- Wine grapes represent 50.3% of the 181 233ha in production in the Western Cape, and the replacement value of these wine grapes amounts to R33.94 billion;
- The Western Cape Department of Agriculture estimates that 45,610 people work in the primary production sector of the wine industry and supports 228,053 people;
- Based on the province’s tourism multiplier model, which has been used in Western Cape research for many years, the continuing beach ban is costing the sector more than R120 million per month. Around 12.8% of the eight million annual visitors indicate that visits to the beach are their main activity.
- Almost all of the major attractions in the Western Cape reported a more than 60% drop in visitors during peak tourism season;
- Market data on the hotel industry reports that hotel occupancy levels in the Western Cape were 32.7% in December 2020, compared to 68.1% in December 2019;
- In Cape Town, 5-star hotel occupancy levels were 29% in December 2020, 4-star hotel accommodation 34%, and 3-star hotel occupancy 31%;
- Traffic volumes have decreased by as much as 27% on South Africa’s main highways, indicating a drop in domestic travel;
- The domestic terminal at Cape Town International Airport recorded only 51% of the passenger volume compared to December 2019;
- One-third of the Garden Route guesthouses reported at least 50% of the holiday season cancellations;
- An SA Tourism Survey (December 2020) found that 58% of tourism and hospitality companies were unable to pay their debts and 61% of companies were unable to cover fixed costs in October 2020. This was before Alert Level 3 restrictions will be announced in December. .
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