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(Photo: Unsplash / Vishnu Nair)
Numerous annual holiday events have been canceled in the country and access to certain public spaces has been restricted. The possible closure of beaches is also on the agenda this festive season. This follows an announcement on December 9 by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize that South Africa had entered the second wave of Covid-19. The country has witnessed an increase in Covid-19 cases, with hotspots in the Eastern Cape and along the Garden Route, and a remarkable count of teens testing positive after the ‘super spreader’ event, Ballito Rage. .
“Simply put, Covid-19 is not on vacation this holiday season, ”Western Cape Prime Minister Alan Winde said in a statement December 11. Winde urged people to act responsibly during this holiday season, especially given the resurgence of the Western Cape. “Please drink responsibly this holiday season. If you are in a car accident during this time, there may not be a bed for you due to the number of people in our hospitals at the moment, ”he said. Winde also noted that people think “small” when they have gatherings during this Christmas period. “We know from our resurgence that the situation may change again if the super spreader events continue to occur,” he reminded the South Africans.
At the time of publication, there had been a discussion about popular beach destinations, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), which were closed for the festive season, which generally welcomes large crowds during the December-January period.
As it stands, there is no clear indication of the final decision on beach closures during the holiday season. “We do not rule out the closure of beaches. For now, we are in consultations on what other restrictions could be implemented, ”said KZN Prime Minister Sihle Zikalala during a press conference on December 11.
Beaches in eThekwini, KwaDukuza, Richards Bay, uMkhuze and in areas in southern Durban would be monitored, according to a statement released after the press conference. “Access will be subject to restrictions in terms of entry and exit,” the statement read.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation on the possible closure of beaches in the KZN, according to a report by News24.
These events follow the confirmation that the country was in a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Two days before Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that the country was officially experiencing a second wave, he called the Ballito Rage event – an annual stage of the Rage Festivals held across the country and attended by registrants – a widely publicized event. This was after almost 100 Covid-19 cases were traced to the event and more than 1,000 attendees were urged to self-quarantine. Since then, all Rage festivals have been canceled. Other major holiday events were also canceled and vacation spots were being monitored.
Winde’s spokeswoman, Bianca Capazorio, said municipalities in the Western Cape will decide how they intend to manage their beaches during the holiday season. Capazorio said the city of Cape Town, in particular, would also monitor beaches and intensify awareness campaigns to ensure safety. Interventions include the deployment of 340 lifeguards, live radio updates on how crowded the beaches are and safety campaigns on social media, Capazorio said. Daily maverick. “We call on residents to act responsibly when visiting any public space by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, avoiding large crowds and close contact with other people,” he said.
All summer markets in the Western Cape have been canceled, as well as the Kirstenbosch and Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens‘summer concerts for the 2020/2021 season, which are usually well attended.
Another popular event space, Shimmy Beach Club, announced on December 10 that it would also be closed for this holiday season in light of the second wave. “Shimmy cannot afford to be irresponsible with the health and lives of its customers and employees, and therefore has no choice but to stop trading,” he announced. The earliest the club is expected to open is the 2021/2022 summer season, according to the statement.
Other New Year’s celebrations, such as the popular Billy beach bash, which takes place in St Francis Bay, which was canceled on December 2 due to the increase in cases along the Garden Route. the Cape Town Street Parade, also known as the Cape Minstrel Carnival or the Kaapse Klopse, a traditional celebration on January 2, was postponed to June 2021.
In October, the National Botanical Institute of South Africa canceled its popular series of concerts and events due to the uncertainty of Covid-19 regulations in the coming months. “Visitor safety is our top priority, and under the circumstances, our high-volume, affordable ticket prices concert model will not be sensible in the near future,” said Craig Allenby, director of marketing and merchandising at the institute. . SANBI’s summer concerts were already canceled in October.
In March, at the beginning of the pandemic, Vacation Club, the event production company that organizes the popular holiday events We love summer, Future Frequency Festival, the Kinky Summer NYE party, she had to cancel all her events. This includes the Paradise Liner cruise, which would have departed on December 12, said Wesley Billet, co-founder of the Vacation Club. “Annually, we welcome approximately 25,000 people through our doors, this year that number has dropped to zero; It is a devastating time for the South African events industry, ”said Billet.
the Kinky Summer The NYE event generally draws about 8,000 people. “I believe that the events industry and the government are caught between a rock and a hard place, wanting to open up the economy while keeping citizens and attendees safe. Nobody wants to organize a super broadcast event, but nobody wants to liquidate their business either. It’s a difficult puzzle to solve, no matter how you look at it, “said Billet. “These are unprecedented times and we must take it as it comes and face the challenges together. “
Under tighter control
Winde’s statement noted that the number of visitors will be limited to public swimming pools, picnic spots and braai areas in nature reserves from December 12. In addition, there would be temporary billboards in some public transportation interchanges, initiated by the City’s Transportation Directorate.
Capazorio said Daily maverick that the city of Cape Town has indicated a limit of 50% of the usual capacity of public swimming pools. He said staff would help with managing queues outside of these facilities. “For those braai areas and picnic spots in the city’s portfolio, which have controlled access, a 50% capacity limit will also apply,” he said. Capazorio said some of the city’s picnic and braai spots would not have specific controlled entry and exit points, but would be patrolled.
Latest Covid-19 statistics
As of December 10, there are 57,346 active cases in the country, with a cumulative total of 836,764 cases. “There is clear evidence of an exponential increase in transmission and this is of great concern, ”said the National Institute of Communicable Diseases. The Western Cape has seen 147,085 cases, the Eastern Cape 142,834 cases, and Gauteng 241,495 cases so far. DM
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