eThekwini Municipality to open public spaces for exercise
The parks are only open during the regulated hours and all by-laws must be adhered to.
FROM next week, the public will be allowed to exercise in public spaces such as parks, botanical gardens, nature reserves and at sports grounds.
The eThekwini Municipality’s Parks, Recreation and Culture announced this week that public amenities will be opened to allow people to utilise these facilities to keep fit and healthy.
People will be able to access public spaces from Monday, 27 July only for healthy lifestyle exercises, including walking, running, cycling, and yoga, which are permitted under the lockdown regulations. The municipality said, however, that any other form of social gathering remains strictly prohibited.
Deputy Head, Sibusiso Mkhwanazi, said the municipality is mindful of the increasing number of the Covid-19 infections, thus will ensure that strict precautions are implemented as people use the facilities.
“The lives of our residents are a priority to us, therefore access to these places will be limited to avoid overcrowding and the maximum number of people in a group allowed is 10. This is to ensure that while residents are enjoying themselves, they are also vigilant at the same time,” he said.
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As the world deals with the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, the municipality’s open spaces have been affected with some parks not being maintained as usual because the department is operating with limited staff members. Mkhwanazi said a single entrance will be used to enter the nature reserves and botanical gardens.
Screening procedures for Covid-19 and temperature checks will be mandatory for all residents wishing to enter the facilities.
Park users are urged to be cautious and vigilant at all times by adhering to mandatory requirements.
These include wearing a mask in public spaces at all times, the practice of social distancing of a minimum of three metres apart, ensuring that hands are washed and sanitised prior to entering a parks facility, and exercising only with people within your household which is limited to a maximum of five people in a group.
People must refrain from using the ablution facilities, take all disposables home, including empty bottles and paper cups, and leave all valuables at home to avoid opportunistic crime. Parents are urged to remind children that the use of the gym and play-equipment is restricted.
The municipality is urging the public to be cautious when using these public spaces and that the onus to prevent the spreads of the virus is in the hands of the residents and everyone using these facilities.
Mkhwanazi also urged residents to avoid going to these facilities if they feel unwell or have flu like symptoms and avoid parks that have a lot of people by staying at home.
The parks are only open during the regulated hours and it should be noted that there will be no public ablutions available at this stage.
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