Coast KZN

State of the Coast: KZN
State of the Coast: KZN

State of the Coast: KwaZulu-Natal Chapter 1: Introduction & Background Chapter 2: Overarching Drivers Chapter 3: Climate Variability
Chapter 4: Coastal Environment Chapter 5: Estuarine Environment Chapter 6: Marine Environment Chapter 7: Human Environment Chapter 8: Economic Environment
Chapter 9: Governance Environment Chapter 10: Conclusions
The Profile of the KZN Coast
The Profile of the KZN Coast

Ugu Lwethu- Our Coast Defining the Coastal Zone The Physical and Coastal Environment Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Coastal and Marine Species Migrations The Human Dimension Socio-Economic Uses of the Coast Commercial Resource Uses
Pressures and Threats Management of the Coastal and Marine Environments Understanding our Coast
Coastal access
Coastal access

Access RoutesBoat Launch SitesThe Human DimensionCoastal Access: Stats & Facts
Estuaries
Estuaries

What is an Estuary? Know your Estuaries Estuary Health and Conservation KZN Estuary Observer Programme
Historical Time Series Estuary Mouth Status Sand Mining
Recreation
Recreation

Fish TaggingAccess RoutesBlue Flag Beaches
Coastal risk and vulnerability
Coastal risk and vulnerability

Coastal Risk LinesExtreme EventsCoastal ErosionKZN Coastal Vulnerability IndexPollution
Coastal issues
Coastal issues

PollutionSand MiningCoastal ErosionNurdlesUPL Chemical Spill
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11 Jun 2020

North Coast surfers fed up over prolonged ocean lockdown

Penny Fourier ( North Coast Courier) Picture: Surfers are being given conflicting advice about whether they should return to their beloved sport under level 3 legislation. Photo: Bevan Ainslie

Surfers are being given conflicting advice about whether they should return to their beloved sport under level 3 legislation. The confusion saw dozens of surfers and paddlers return to the water this weekend after more than two months of lockdown. Some sports, including fishing, have been allowed to resume as of June 1.  While level 3 legislation does not bar surfing, it only gives the go-ahead to professional surfers to get back in the water.  Local surfers told the Courier that the line between professional athletes and recreational athletes was a grey one.

Last Tuesday, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria declared some regulations governing Level 3 and 4 as unconstitutional and invalid. Judge Norman Davis handed down the judgement ordering Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to formulate changes to the regulations within 14 days. The existing regulations, however, remain in force until then. Likewise surfers question the risk they stand to each other if they are surfing or swimming. In the ocean surfers are always considerably more than two metres apart.

Judge Davis said restricting the right to freedom of movement in order to limit contact with others in order to curtail the risks of spreading the virus was rational, but to restrict the hours of exercise to an arbitrarily determined time period was completely irrational.  He said it could hardly be argued that it was rational to allow scores of people to run on the promenade but “were one to step a foot on the beach, it will lead to a rampant infection.”

While government officials deliberate over the details, it seems the small window of ambiguity is allowing surfers to get in some water time, whether or not it is legal.

 

Online Article