Beaches remain closed, Court rules

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Photo: Garden Route Municipality

The decision by the national government to have certain beaches closed amid second wave of Covid-19 infections has been reinforced by the High Court in Tshwane.

This is after a court application was brought forward by the lobby group AfriForum and the Great Brak Business Forum to have Garden Route beaches in Western Cape reopened throughout the festive season.

The High Court in Pretoria has on Wednesday ruled against both groups in their bid to declare government’s new regulations unconstitutional.

This also follows another case by the Democratic Alliance (DA) on the same matter and it was dismissed by the court.

Both parties argued that the government took an irrational decision and it was not based on scientific evidence. They also said that this would posed greater threat to local businesses considering the lock downs they went through since March.

Even after losing the case I’m court, AfriForum went on to encourage people to visit their favourite holiday destinations.

President Matamela Ramaphosa said during a national address that all beaches in the Eastern Cape, as well as in the Garden Route will be closed from 16 December to 3 January.

He added that all beaches in KwaZulu-Natal would be closed on 16, 25, 26 and 31 December, as well as from 1 to 3 January.