Winde ‘not happy’ about Garden Route beach closure

Winde ‘not happy’ about Garden Route beach closure

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s differentiated approach to managing Covid-19 infections during the festive season. 

Alan Winde

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s differentiated approach to managing Covid-19 infections during the festive season. 


On Monday Ramaphosa announced a cocktail of amendments to level 1 regulations, such as a curfew between 11pm and 4am, restrictions on the sale of alcohol over weekends and the closure of some beaches. 


Eastern Cape beaches will be closed for several weeks, while beaches in KwaZulu-Natal will only be closed on specific days. 


Beaches along the Garden Route district will also be closed after it was declared a Covid-19 hotspot. 


But Winde doesn’t believe the closure of the Garden Route beaches is in the best interest of the province. 


“I noticed what the president has said and specifically around the beach closures or the opening of beaches. We advocated very much for the opening of our beaches across the province and we welcome that. 


“But of course, in the hotspot of the Garden Route I think the blanket ban or blunt closure of all our beaches for the festive season is something that we will be engaging the president on. I do not believe that that is the solution. We’re advocating for people to get outside for open spaces but we’re also going make sure there’s management in place,” Winde said.


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He added that law enforcement will be on guard to ensure of compliance in beaches open to the public. 


Winde further called for beachgoers to employ their common sense when in public. 


“It’s not about law enforcement is going to manage everyone’s life. We also need people, citizens to take responsibility for themselves.” 


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