Beach closure fought
An eerily deserted Robberg 5 Beach in Plettenberg Bay stands void of any life in the middle of what is usually one of its busiest times of the year. President Ramaphosa announced that all beaches in the Garden Route are to be closed from the 16th of December to the 3rd of January 2021 as part of new regulations to try to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Picture: David Ritchie/African News Agency(ANA)
The Great Brak River Business Forum, AfriForum and a guesthouse owner have filed an urgent court application in the North Gauteng High Court in a bid for Garden Route beaches to reopen over the festive season.
In the court papers, forum chairperson Wilhelm de Wet, guesthouse owner Louis Cook and AfriForum argue that the decision to shut down Garden Route beaches between 16 December and 3 January was draconian and inconsiderate, and against the interest of employees.
The respondents in the matter are Co-operative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize and the Western Cape Government.
The applicants seek to have similar restrictions as imposed on KZN beaches, where the beaches will only be closed on public holidays – 16, 25 and 31 December, and on 1 to 3 January.
They argue in court papers that the decision has a dire impact on the Garden Route region, saying that it is the seventh most popular tourism destination in South Africa and the businesses in the area rely on the festive season to provide a financial boon that is required to sustain their businesses.
The applicants seek to have the regulations in question declared unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid.
The Garden Route District Municipality and Sarah Baartman District Municipality were declared as Covid-19 hotspots on Monday during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address.
IOL