KNYSNA NEWS - Although a moratorium on travel between SA and the rest of the world has been declared, Knysna’s vulnerability to illegal maritime traffic through the Knysna Heads remains a point of concern.
South Africa has 73 official ports of entry via land, sea, and air, 35 have since been closed. Two of the 35 are seaports at Mossel Bay and Saldanha Bay.
Knysna is, however, not a registered seaport and was last recognised as such in 1953 according to Knysna Yacht Club president Jim Parkes.
Due to this, there is no monitoring system for maritime traffic that comes through the Heads, and anyone, from anywhere in the world (even high-risk areas), can enter the Knysna Estuary without being screened or checked for Covid-19 if they could manoeuvre their way through the Heads.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority was yet to provide comment on the matter at the time of going to print.
The Knysna Heads: Our Achilles heel in terms of maritime traffic into Knysna. Photo: Blake Linder
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