ATLANTIC SEABOARD | CITY EDITION
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TUESDAY 24 March 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za
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A large vegetation fire broke out below Tafelberg Road on Sunday 15 March and destroyed several homes and cars. Pictured is a house in Trek Road, Gardens, that was completely gutted. The City says claims that the fire was started by arsonists are being investigated. Read full story on page 3. PHOTO: KAYLYNNE BANTOM
Fire ruins homes BO-KAAP
Community bans tourists KAYLYNNE BANTOM KAYLYNNE.BANTOM@MEDIA24.COM
T
ourists will not be allowed to enter the Bo-Kaap in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19. Osman Shaboodien, chair of the Bo-Kaap Civic Association, says the decision to place the area on lockdown was not taken lightly. Shaboodien says it is in line with president Cyril Ramaphosa’s national state of disaster declaration. On Sunday 15 March, Ramaphosa announced a travel ban on for-
eign nationals from high-risk countries. Yesterday, Monday 23 March, the number of confirmed cases in the country stood at 402 at the time of going to print. Shaboodien says a letter has been sent to tourism agencies, asking them to refrain from allowing tours into the area. “We are appealing to travel agencies to adhere to our request to not bring tourists to the Bo-Kaap. We are not being difficult or anything but everyone must be responsible,” he says. He adds he is aware that the area is a tourist attraction but says they must take precaution as they are more prone to get into direct contact with tourists.
“We have discussed this with community members, and we’ve decided that, going forward, this decision is best. “We have many elderly people living here and they have been identified as the most vulnerable to get infected by the virus,” explains Shaboodien. Masturah Adams, head of social welfare at Boorhaanol Islam Movement, a community organisation, says they are disappointed that the decision, to not have tourists enter the vicinity was not taken by the local government. “One would expect the City to be the first to say, ‘No tourists for now in the Bo-Kaap’.
They lock up the local public spaces like the municipal halls, Robben Island, parks and forests, yet in a residential densely populated area nothing is done.” Mayor Dan Plato has announced that facilities like swimming pools, camping sites, museums and nature reserves, among others, will be closed until further notice. Plato says: “We have taken note of best practice from other affected countries and the success they have found in social distancing and improved hygiene practices.” Shaboodien says he believes placing the area on lockdown is one way in which they can safeguard their community.