Bianca Buitendag - Twitter
Surfing South Africa has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Monday night which ended the closure of the country’s beaches under the adjusted level-3 Covid-19 regulations.
South Africa’s professional surfers were particularly hard-hit by the beach-closure as the likes of Dylan Lightfoot at Jeffrey’s Bay and Bianca Buitendag at Vic Bay outside George were unable to train.
The ban could not have come at a worse time for them as surfing prepares to make its Olympic debut in Tokyo in July this year.
Port Elizabeth-based Surfing South Africa President Johnny Bakker welcomed President Ramaphosa’s announcement.
“On behalf of Surfing South Africa and all surfers, recreational, competitors or social, we are grateful that we can enter the ocean again and surf,” said Bakker.
“In terms of the surf and go policy no gatherings are permitted on the beach and we request all surfers and beach users to abide by the rules.”
The lifting of the ban on access to South Africa’s beaches is effective immediately.
