Metro to re-open its nature reserves and resorts
"The nature reserves should have been opened on 1 June 2020 as announced by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs."
The Tshwane metro was expected to re-open some of its nature reserves and resorts just over a week after getting the green light from government.
“The nature reserves should have been opened on 1 June 2020 as announced by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs,” Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said.
However, the establishments could not open their doors to the public as they had to ensure adherence to new regulations brought forward by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The metro had to ensure that it puts measures in place that are in compliance with Covid-19 regulations,” Mashigo said.
One of the metro nature reserves which was set to re-open on Thursday was Rietvlei while others such as the Rietvlei angling area, Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, Bishop Bird nature area, Moreletakloof nature area and Bronkies nature area were expected to re-open on Saturday, 15 June.
The permitted activities under the new regulations included hiking, mountain biking, self-drive game viewing, angling, exercise and recreational fishing.
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“Visitors are urged to strictly adhere to all rules and regulations applicable to the facilities,? he said, adding it was important for visitors to note that all precautionary measures related to Covid-19 had to be taken into consideration when going to the reserves and resorts.”
In any instance, if precautionary measures are not adhered to, access to the reserve will be restricted.
“Last week Mashigo told Rekord several of the metro’s nature reserves would remain closed as Covid-19 regulations and requirements still had to be implemented.”
At the time, Mashigo also explained that additional issues which had to be resolved for the reserves to be re-opened included those related to security, the process of staff being recalled from home and locked ablution facilities as they formed part of resort facilities or those which were still closed.
However, he reassured the reserves were most likely to re-open once ‘all requirements for Covid-19 are met’, adding a reasonable number of staff compliment would have to be in place.
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