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Tourism Minister’s blocking of Charter Boats will kill tourism businesses

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Dear MyPE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) on two separate occasions wrote to the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, in order for her to address the shutdown of charter boats and the effect it has on the tourism sector, fishermen and jobs – particularly in KwaZulu-Natal.

Since the lockdown was announced charter boats have not been permitted to operate, impacting over 50 different charter boats.

The Charter Boat Association, for instance, has already committed to 7 key steps in order ensure that they are safely able to operate and do not spread the Covid-19 virus in their operations.

They have committed to the following Covid-19 protocols:

  1. Boats will be sanitised before and after every trip.
  2. A form will be required for each passenger to fill in asking required questions as in normal industry operating under level 3 and signed along with providing details for contact tracing.
  3. Staff and customer temperatures to be taken before boarding along with screening and recorded on above form, this will be the responsibility of the designated skipper of each vessel, anyone who has a high temperature will not be allowed to board the vessel. All forms will be kept for records.
  4. Hand sanitising will be required before boarding and hand sanitiser will be made available during the trip.
  5. Boats will only be booked out by a group and not filled up on a per person basis.
  6. Boat passenger capacity will be cut: E.G. A boat licensed for 2 crew and 10 passengers will now take 2 crew and 6 passengers etc. In this way social distancing can easily be maintained.
  7. Masks to be worn at all times and social distancing to be maintained.

The Minister’s office has acknowledged requests from the Association as well as the DA’s correspondence. However, she is yet to make any meaningful efforts to ensure that they are able to operate again, save jobs and importantly allow the many people who survive off this sector, some relief.

The casual response from the minister is unacceptable. People’s livelihoods are at stake and they are unable to look after themselves and their families due to the collapse of this sector.

The DA calls on Minister Kubayi-Ngubane to immediately make way for charter boats to operate again to save much-needed jobs in the sector.

Regards

Hlanganani Gumbi MP
DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Tourism

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