TripAdvisor
The Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape said it was finalising an urgent application to the Eastern Cape High Court, requesting that the decision to close all beaches in the province be overturned.
The Municipality said in a statement on Thursday that "while protecting our residents and visitors from COVID-19 remains a priority, we are of the view that a more nuanced approach, such as that adopted for the remainder of the country's beaches, will enable a better balance between saving lives and saving livelihoods."
Mayor, Horatio Hendricks said there were "uncertainties caused by the regulations" announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday which he said could be open to "adverse interpretation."
He said these matters include the definition of "beach" and engaging in ocean and water-based sports such as surfing.
Hendricks said it would be the responsibility of the South African Police Service to enforce these regulations.
"Our court application will be based on the importance of balancing saving lives and saving livelihoods. The COVID-19 curve in the Kouga region has not spiked significantly over the past three weeks, which is encouraging and supported by the high percentage of recoveries," Hendricks said.
However, he said the festive season is the last lifeline for many employers and employees, who have already suffered tremendous losses over the past nine months.
"If the beaches remain closed, the impact on businesses, job retention and creation will be devastating," said Hendricks.
But, the Eastern Cape government, which called for the beach closures, said the decision by the Kouga Municipality was nothing but the "reckless conduct of individuals who don't value the safety and health of the people of this province."
"Kouga municipal leaders want to expose people of this province to Covid-19 infections," Bhisho said in response.
The spokesperson for the Premier, Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha, said the decision to close the beaches was taken to slow the spread of Covid-19 infections in the province because we know that during this time of the year we have high numbers of people going to our beaches.
"Kouga municipality leadership has been consulted on this as they were part of Intergovernmental Relations structures, such as the Expand Provincial Coronavirus Command Council, the meeting between the provincial government and Mayors of Coastal municipalities that took this decision.," he said.
Sicwetsha said the Municipality did not object when the same structures decided that this decision be recommended to the national government.
He said Kouga is part of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality which has been declared a Covid19 hotspot along with Nelson Mandela Bay.
