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South African National Parks said it had introduced stricter measures to curb Covid19 infections at three of its sections in the Garden Route National Park, including Tsitsikamma, Knysna and Wilderness.
This followed Monday night’s announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa declaring the Garden Route a Covid19 hotspot and closing beaches.
GRNP General Manager, Vuyiswa Thabethe, said from Wednesday, the number of people that would be allowed into those areas would be restricted, in line with efforts to curb the spread of the Coronavirus and for the safety of both staff and visitors.
A rotation system has also been introduced for all non-essential staff based in the Regional office in Knysna.
Thabethe said numbers would also be restricted for popular areas like Island Lake, Tarentaal and the Half-collard Kingfisher Trail.
The Wilderness Lagoon area (Touw River Mouth), closer to the Wilderness beach, would be closed from 15 December to 15 January 2021.
Thabethe said other controlled access areas in Wilderness include those leading to Big trees like Krisjian se Nek, Dalene Matthee memorial and popular picnic spots.
"Visitors will be served on a first-come, first-serve basis."
The Knysna estuary would remain open for water-based commercial tourism activities, recreational fishing and bait collecting (in allowed zones) as well as recreational water activities.
Estuary users are requested to comply with the required Covid-19 prevention protocols, while the Park’s hiking and cycling trails remain open but also with a quota system in place.
"We encourage visitors to observe social distancing at all times, wear their masks, sanitise hands at all our entrances and be willing to have their temperature checked", Thabethe said.
