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As with everything in 2020, since the pandemic took hold in March, the holidays will look a little different this year.

We’re still waiting for clarity from the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) on whether or not new restrictions in COVID-19 hotspots, including on curfews, social gatherings and alcohol consumption in bars, will be put in play.

The NCCC met yesterday to discuss a way forward, and President Ramaphosa is set to meet with the President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) today to discuss the issue further.

Western Cape premier Alan Winde has said that they are considering a ‘mini-lockdown’, and, upon hearing that the NCCC had met, says that Western Cape government and local governments would “argue against” a blanket lockdown being imposed, in favour of a more targeted approach.

He said, via TimesLIVE, that:

“While we are considering our own interventions, the Western Cape government does intend to engage the president on our position on existing regulations during this meeting [on Wednesday]. This is because all regulations under the Disaster Management Act are promulgated by the national government and not by provincial governments.”

Winde plans on communicating the plan of action to the public at a digital press conference on Thursday.

He has also reiterated, per BusinessTech, that it’s going to take cooperation from South Africans in the Western Cape to keep the numbers down.

“We need to ensure every person wears a mask. We must avoid crowds and non-essential gatherings. And we must ensure we do not have close contact with others. If we follow these protocols, we can make a major dent in this resurgence. This should be every citizen’s priority right now.”

Authorities have indicated that holidaymakers intent on visiting hotspots in the Western Cape should expect roadblocks and stricter policing of public gatherings. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has also said that travellers can expect roadblocks along the R61 between the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, specifically.

Per Business Insider SA, Patty Butterworth, the CEO of Plett Tourism, says that public events will either be minimised or cancelled altogether. Private events will be required to adhere to alert level 1 protocols.

Police will also be out in full force at shopping centres and transport hubs like taxi ranks and train stations.

All planned events in the Garden Route region have been banned until further notice with local government, environmental affairs, and development planning minister Anton Bredell saying that “drastic action is required” which they “are not afraid to take”:

The provincial disaster management centre says it is “already enforcing existing disaster management regulations across the province with roadblocks, blitzes and unannounced visits to high-risk areas to ensure compliance”. It is doing this in partnership with national police, municipal law enforcement and the departments of labour and health, among others.

Across all provinces, the Western Cape and Eastern Cape currently have the most active cases – with KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State also being flagged for a high number of people currently infected.

Take a drive through Cape Town and you’ll see myriad people wandering around maskless. Social media shows parties happening with minimal to no physical distancing.

We need to change that if we have any hope of bringing the numbers down.

[sources:businessinsider&timeslive&businesstech]