Can one travel for leisure within provincial borders now or not?
Regulations recently published in the Government Gazette do not make it clear whether travel within provincial borders is now permissible, says James Vos, mayoral committee member for economic opportunities and asset management of the Cape Town metro area. He asked Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane in a letter to clear up this uncertainty.
Vos said in a statement that the regulations adopted on 25 June by Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, published, states that any person is entitled to leave his or her place of residence to travel for recreational purposes.
This comes after Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa on June 17 said that accredited and licensed stays, with the exception of stays like Airbnb, could reopen.
But then, on June 26, at a media conference, Kubayi-Ngubane said people may not travel for leisure within provincial borders and use overnight stays elsewhere.
“The confusion is a threat to the recovery of this sector. Security is urgently needed. “
Vos also called on Kubayi-Ngubane to reconsider the reopening of the tourism industry for recreational purposes and to persuade Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula to allow air travel between provinces for recreational purposes.
Vos says he realizes the country is approaching the crest of coronavirus infections, but he makes the request in light of the health and safety protocols that the tourism industry is applying.
“The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) said at a briefing to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Tourism on June 9 if the tourism industry and related sectors are not reopened soon, between 1.1 million and 1.2 million people lose their jobs, ”the statement reads.
“The TBCSA also said about 50,000 businesses in some parts of the country have already closed their doors and that about 600,000 jobs directly related to the tourism industry could be lost this year.”
