KwaZulu-Natal beaches will not close over this Festive Season

9 December 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes and is in support of the decision to not close off beaches to leisure seekers over the festive season. Whilst beaches need to remain open, revelers need to adhere to strict social distancing and to maintain all safety precautions to ensure that beach-gatherings do not evolve into super-spreader events.

The tourism sector has faced near collapse in the wake of the Covid-19 global pandemic which has been further exacerbated by national restrictions in travel and leisure activities which have precipitated thousands of job losses and revenue loss in the billions.

The Department of Tourism’s Tourism Sector Recovery Plan: Covid-19 Response released in August 2020 identified the resumption of operations in the sector as a fundamental priority to salvaging South African tourism. Shutting down beaches over the festive season, the busiest period for many in the hospitality sector, would fly in the face of this resolution and see the demise of many businesses and further employment cutbacks.

South Africa cannot afford any further blows to an already severely compromised tourism industry. The DA advocates for responsible and cautious behaviour of all holiday-makers, but cannot sanction the destruction of any further livelihoods.

Issued byHannah Shameema Winkler,DA Member of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, 9 December 2020