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JP Smith, a member of the City of Cape Town Mayor’s Security Committee.
- Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said limiting movement on beaches is an “artificial crisis” if people do not comply in their communities.
- He argues that it would be “extremely difficult” to block Cape Town’s 309 km of coastline.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on Covid-19 on Monday night.
Mission Impossible: This is how Cape Town Mayor’s Safety and Security Committee Member JP Smith describes the enforcement of a beach closure in Cape Town.
According to him, limiting movement on beaches is an “artificial crisis” if people do not comply with the regulations of their communities.
Beach closures, at this stage, are not being considered in Cape Town, Smith said.
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“We’re going to focus on fostering social distancing and keeping the numbers in check. We don’t think it’s practical to close the beaches.”
The Eastern Cape provincial government confirmed on Sunday that it had made the decision to close its beaches and parks because “it represents a great risk of spreading infections,” said Prime Minister Oscar Mabuyane’s spokesman Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha.
This came days after the KwaZulu-Natal government decided to close all beaches in the province; However, later on, KZN Prime Minister Sihle Zikalala clarified that his administration had chosen to regulate the use of the beaches rather than close them.
Hard
Cape Town has 309 km of coastline, which would be “extremely difficult” to block, Smith said.
In addition to the 46 different beach services, enforcement will be next to impossible, Smith argued.
He said Cape Town’s circumstances were different because other provinces had more “compacted” coastlines, in the sense that beach areas were shorter and easier to regulate.
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Executive Director of Safety and Security Richard Bosman said the City had “adjusted [its] master plan for many years “and it would be ready for the holiday season.
“Beach closures are being discussed at the national level as part of the current disaster regulations and we await the outcome of those deliberations,” he said.
Bosman believes that, weather permitting, Cape Town’s beaches “will certainly be very crowded during the peak of the holiday season.”
Risk
“It is imperative that we take Covid-19 and risk of exposure into account in everything we do this season. St. Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day are of particular concern as, historically, these are beach days. We encourage the public to take advantage of the additional days available to them during the high holiday season (Christmas and New Years on weekends) to enjoy a day with their families. “
Alcohol is a major headache during the holiday season, particularly drinking and driving, and consuming it on beaches and other public spaces, Bosman said.
“Our law enforcement staff will continue to ensure the safety of all visitors and to enforce the law, which includes disaster regulations. We want to encourage visitors to adhere to safety protocols and be responsible, especially in locations public “.
Prime Minister Alan Winde said the beaches are under a municipal mandate and each municipality would have to decide how they intend to manage their beaches this holiday season.
“The city of Cape Town has indicated that it will carry out monitoring and awareness campaigns on the city’s beaches to ensure safety,” he said.
“Among the interventions are 340 lifeguards deployed to the beaches in the subway; radio interviews on busy beach days, giving live updates on how busy the beaches are and encouraging people to go to quieter beaches, if it is necessary; banners in the sky on every busy beach day and pole posters in the streets leading to the beaches and safety campaigns on social networks. “
He urged those who visit any public space to act responsibly by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and avoiding large crowds and close contact with other people.
