The Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, has written to Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, asking for all beaches and recreational parks and open spaces in the Eastern Cape to be closed.
In a letter, dated 11 December, Mabuyane writes: “This morning, I had a consultative meeting with all executive mayors and mayors of the coastal municipalities and cities in the Province. In the meeting it was unanimously agreed that all beaches and recreational parks and open spaces in the Eastern Capte be closed and declared as out of bounds for the upcoming festive season.”
Mabuyane said in the letter that this is done in order to minimize the mobility of people from high risk areas to low risk areas and vice versa and to avoid large crowds gathering at those recreational spaces.
His letter was written as a submission to the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) to support the province in this regard.
He further asks the NCCC to consider:
- a) the possibility of amending the regulations accordingly;
- b) whether the neighbouring provinces or hotspot areas may not be influenced to take similar measures.
“The Eastern Cape Integrated Festive Season Plan, including the closure of beaches and recreational parks and spaces, has been extensively discussed with and enjoys the support of the law enforcement agencies in the Province,” Mabuyane concluded.
