Durban’s promenade in Durban will remain closed during the Level 4 lockdown, the eThekwini municipality has announced.
Friday marked the first day of the Level 4 lockdown and, in terms of slightly relaxed regulations, citizens were allowed to leave home to walk, run or cycle between 06:00 and 09:00, within a 5km radius of their homes, for the first time since 26 March.
In Durban, however, the City will not allow people to use the promenade for the “safety of residents”.
“While the municipality recognises that Level 4 allows some activities, such as jogging and cycling … at this stage, such activities are prohibited within the City’s promenade. According to eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, the safety of residents comes first,” said municipal spokesperson Mandla Nsele.
Despite speculation last weekend that the eThekwini metro would remain on a higher lockdown level, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala confirmed on Wednesday that it would downgrade to Level 4 along with the rest of the country.
However, he warned that regulations would still be stringent.
“It means that all regulations that are still attached will be implemented strictly. It means in transport, we will look if they have masks and people are protected and there is social distancing,” he previously told News24.
These restrictions now appear to have extended to the promenade, with Kaunda adding that deep cleaning first needs to take place before it can be opened to the public.
“We are not going to take any chances. Everyone needs to be mindful of the fact that the city is the epicentre of this pandemic. We are going to embark on a deep-cleaning and sanitising operation of the entire facility before we open it to the public…. Yes, residents have been yearning for jogging and cycling on the promenade but we cannot dice with their lives,” said Kaunda.
