Image: Brand South Africa
Faizel Patel – 17/12/2020
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has filed court papers in the Western Cape High Court challenging a decision taken by national government to close the beaches in the Garden Route during the festive season.
Beaches in the region have been closed until 3 January 2021, by order of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC).
The DA initially set a 5pm deadline on Wednesday for President Cyril Ramaphosa and Cooperative Governance Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to provide reasons justifying the closure of beaches – It then asked for an extension.
The Presidency noted the urgent application, and says the matter would be dealt with through legal procedures.
DA leader John Steenhuizen says the regulation is proving be the “final nail in the coffin” for the Garden Route’s coastal economies which are nearing total collapse.
“The fact that national government has requested additional time to prepare a response to our letter requesting reasons for the decision to close the Garden Route’s beaches, only demonstrates that there were none to begin with. It would seem that any reasons now provided would be ex post facto manufactured.”
Steenhuizen says the party expects its case will be heard as early as Monday where they hope to be granted immediate relief.
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