📣| We have sent a letter to President Ramaphosa and Minister Dlamini-Zuma, to justify the grounds upon which National Government took the decision to close the beaches in the Garden Route, failing which, we will take the matter to court.
The DA and our governments across the Western Cape’s coastal municipalities have fought vehemently against any closure of beaches over the festive season. As such a regulation is not in line with the scientific advice available from medical experts and is impossible to enforce.
Such a regulation will also be the final nail in the coffin for the Garden Route’s coastal economies which are nearing total collapse.
All Western Cape beaches should be open for the entirety of the festive season, as requested by the provincial government. If not, the Garden Route should, at the very least, be afforded the same nuanced approach as the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
We will take this fight to the courts to ensure that we uphold this commitment to our voters, and to guarantee that there are still thriving coastal economies in this province long beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
Councillor Tjaart van der Walt 