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The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, requesting his urgent intervention following the irrational and unfair ban on fishing, imposed by the uMhlathuze Municipality.

Section 36 (10) (b) of the Gazetted Level 3 regulations make provision for fishing to take place on beaches. However, the uMhlathuze Municipality has imposed its own ban on fishing – against the national regulations.

The DA strongly believes that the ban will exasperate already desperate communities who are struggling to put food on the table.

The Mayor, his fellow ANC councilors and the highly paid municipal management, who are also political deployees, have enjoyed uninterrupted income during the poor handling of the coronavirus pandemic in local municipalities and KZN as a whole. While it may be easy for them to sit in air-conditioned offices enjoying their fat salaries, many citizens of our province have had to suffer immeasurable economic and personal loss.

The latest government lockdown measures, imposed due to the failure to implement enforcement and prevention plans, is causing widespread economic destruction and adversity. The move by uMhlathuze to ban an activity that provides food and a source of income for so many will only lead to further hardship.

The DA urges MEC Hlomuka to treat this issue as urgent. We will give him three days to respond to our call, as stipulated within his Department’s own Service Delivery Charter.

Issued by The DA