KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna Council resolved to authorise the executive mayor and acting municipal manager to implement measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the Knysna municipal area.
According to Executive Mayor Elrick van Aswegen, the latest report from the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) for Knysna highlights a substantial spike in Covid-19 cases, necessitating these actions to arrest the significant rise in infections.
“Do you know someone who is very sick with Covid-19?” asked van Aswegen. “Do you know someone who has died from it? This is not something that we only read about or hear about on the radio. It is now touching the lives of everyone. We can - and must - stop it.”
“We must all start to restrict our movements,” Van Aswegen continued. “We must realise that the rate of infection in Knysna and the surrounding areas is higher than ever before. There are now more people who are seriously sick - and more people who are dying because of it. We need to only go shopping when necessary. We need to seriously limit our social interactions. In fact, to be safe, we need to act as though we were still on lockdown level 5 and not taking the liberties of level 1 for granted.”
“We ask the public to work with us in curbing the spread.”
The decision means that the following municipality-controlled facilities will be closed from 10 December until 24 December:
• All public libraries
• All community halls
• All municipal sport facilities except leased facilities
• The municipal swimming pool in Karatara
• All recreational parks and braai areas [Greenhole braai area, Steenbok Park, Coney Glen braai area, Wilson Street braai area, Cathy Park, open area opposite the Scouts, Die Parkie in Hornlee, all braai areas in Buffalo Bay and Sedgefield]
• All municipal gymnasiums [George Rex Drive, Hornlee, Masifunde, Rheenendal]
• No sport or leisure events will be allowed.
Other measures
• Strict access control to all the municipal offices will be maintained, e.g. payment hall Main Street, Knysna; payment hall Flamingo Street, Sedgefield; and motor vehicle registration, drivers’ and learners’ licence offices.
• Essential services will be placed on a shift system.
• Public participation meetings will be suspended.
• No marches will be allowed.
• Strict adherence to all funeral protocols is required.
“Should a significant drop in the rate of infection not be realised within the next two weeks, the acting municipal manager and I, by means of our delegated authority, resolve to extend this period,” said Van Aswegen.
“If we cannot contain and curb the rise in infections, it may then be necessary to implement even more stringent restrictions.”
An update will be issued on 23 December.
Van Aswegen stressed that these measures must not be seen as a punishment or restriction on your holiday fun. “They are necessary means to reach an end. Should the public continue to disregard the safety protocols, we will have no choice but to request additional assistance to enforce compliance from provincial and national government. Please let us not reach that stage. Please act responsibly. Wash your hands, wear your mask. Stay safe. Move forward.”
Enquiries: Disaster Management rmeyer@knysna.gov.za / 060 998 6957 or dlavack@knysna.gov.za / 060 998 7038.
All hours emergency contact number 044 302 8911.
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