KNYSNA NEWS - While several local authorities, the DA and civic organisations are fighting for the Garden Route beaches to be reopened, Knysna Mayor Elrick van Aswegen this week reiterated his support for President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to close beaches on the Garden Route as a result of the surge in Covid-19 cases. Widespread chagrin followed Van Aswegen's initial support of Ramaphosa's announcement last week and led to DA Councillor Michelle Wasserman calling it irrational.

'We didn't listen'

But this week Van Aswegen stuck to his guns and repeated that citizens themselves are responsible for the shutdown.

In his statement on Wednesday last week, Van Aswegen said they were warned twice when the President introduced similar restrictions in Nelson Mandela Bay and when Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize visited the Garden Route. "We didn't listen and left the President with no other choice but to close our beaches," he said.

He stated that the largest challenge would be enforcing the regulation with Knysna's own law enforcement, as it would be a mammoth task without the assistance of the police.

According to Van Aswegen, while all Garden Route mayors decided at a meeting on 15 December to make submissions through the Premier's office to the President, asking that he reconsider his decision to close the beaches, he [Van Aswegen] was already focusing on contingency plans.

He pointed out that the beach ban affords holidaymakers an opportunity to explore some of the many hidden treasures in Knysna, such as the estuary.

'No rational basis'

In response to Van Aswegen's initial show of support for Ramaphosa last Thursday, Wasserman said Van Aswegen ignored the fact that being outdoors on a beach in the fresh air was far safer than being driven into the restaurants, which Van Aswegen encouraged tourists to visit.

"We can also find no rational basis for his idea that a visit to the beach would pose an unacceptably high risk of infection, when a visit to the estuary is not only acceptable, but encouraged by him," she said.

Wasserman said the possibility of the municipality closing the beaches was raised in a council meeting on 3 December and the DA opposed it. "We implored Council to consider the livelihoods of Knysna residents, who have lost so much over the past year and need to make an income this holiday season to stay afloat." She said DA councillors had been inundated with messages from Knysna residents about the despair they felt and how helpless they were as they watched bookings being cancelled after the President's announcement.

"It is important that both lives and livelihoods are safeguarded. There is no reason why the Garden Route could not have been treated in the same manner as KwaZulu-Natal, with beach closures only being implemented on specific days."

She said the DA did not know why Van Aswegen had taken the "irrational" stance he had, but assumed he must support the ANC so that the ANC in turn would continue supporting him. "Knysna needs leaders who will act rationally and unselfishly."

She said the Knysna DA caucus had called a special council meeting for 4 January 2021, when it plans to elect a DA-led government that cares about the well-being of Knysna residents and would take rational decisions in the best interests of the people it serves.

Van Aswegen said he would not be intimidated by the DA.

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