It hasn’t been a day since the nationwide lockdown was lowered to level 4 and already, Sea Point, a leafy coastal suburb in Cape Town, has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Sea Point under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons
We reported in early April about an upmarket restaurant that had flouted regulations and opened its menu to residents of the Atlantic Seaboard.
One would think that this was enough bad press for residents of the quaint area. However, Sea Point residents must have slept at the door because as soon as a bit of daylight shone through the mist, on Friday morning, scores of Capetonians were seen flocking the beachfront in their training outfits.
Let’s revisit the rules around jogging during level 4 lockdown
It does not take the intelligence of the great Albert Einstein to observe how hundreds of Sea Point residents flouted the lockdown regulations.
We were not on the grounds and the DA-led City of Cape Town has yet to issue a formal statement in this regard but from the footage we saw on social media, there was not a single law enforcement official — or the military — in sight.
Instead, folks were strolling down the beachfront’s walkway, taking in the fresh smell of the sea and that cool breeze it offers.
To educate those who may not be aware, these are the only things you are permitted to do under level 4 lockdown:
- those who are elderly and those with underlying conditions must remain at home and take additional precautions to isolate themselves;
- the sale of cigarettes will be permitted;
- the range of goods that may be sold will be extended to incorporate certain additional categories;
- restaurants will be able to deliver food to customers.
- there will be no sit-down meals and no takeaway facilities at restaurants;
- businesses permitted to resume operations must first prepare their workplaces;
- all gatherings, apart from funerals and for work, will remain prohibited;
- people can exercise under strict public health conditions; and
- joggers are permitted to go for runs between 06:00 and 09:00 for no longer than 5KM
- public transport will continue to operate, with limitations on the number of passengers
COVID-19 latest statistics for the Western Cape
Ironically, the Western Cape has become the epicentre of coronavirus (COVID-19). According to the latest figures issued by the ministry of health on Thursday 30 April, the province has:
- 2 342 infections; and
- 47 deaths
People have been cautioned to practice extreme levels of safety and not use this step down to level 4 as a reason to not adhere to social distancing.
As it turns out, the good folks in Sea Point may have not comprehended the rules and regulations.
