THE Oudtshoorn Municipality’s safety and security cluster is set to take stringent measures against perpetrators of illegal events and unauthorised sporting activities following Pres Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of Alert Level 4 re
gulations on Sunday.
At a meeting between the municipality’s disaster management unit, the SAPS and municipal law enforcement yesterday (Wednesday) morning it was decided to take a zero tolerance attitude towards illegal hosting of events and sports in the Greater Oudtshoorn.
This followed reports of unauthorised and illegal sports events and gatherings over the weekend in parts of the Greater Oudtshoorn.
“No events shall be approved for the next two weeks as is indicated in the alert Level 4 Covid-19 regulations,” said Adel Supra-Vertue, the Oudtshoorn Municipality’s chief of fire, rescue and disaster management services.
“Even though the regulations do allow professional and non-professional sporting matches hosted by recognised sporting bodies, the regulations are clear that such bodies must strictly adhere to Covid-19 protocols,” Supra-Vertue added.
Applications for all sports events should be directed to the SAPS/Disaster Management and the Provincial Health Department. No sports event can continue without final approval from the Health Department and the SAPS.
“We will thoroughly monitor sports events in the Greater Oudtshoorn to determine if they have been authorised by relevant structures and if they operate within the ambit of the regulations.
“Any sporting activity that continues without the necessary approval shall be seen as illegal and be dealt with in accordance with the events act and the regulations. Sporting events applications submitted on short notice cannot be approved as permission from the SAPS and the Health Department takes time.”
Any person who is found to be contravening the Covid-19 regulations will be guilty on an offence and, on conviction, such person will be liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period of up to six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
