Following the President’s declaration of a national disaster amid the coronavirus pandemic, various institutions throughout the Mother City are taking precautions to protect themselves and others.
The City has decided to close the following City facilities from Wednesday, March 18, and will continuously assess the situation and inform the public accordingly:
– Swimming pools
– Camping sites
– Museums
– Art centres
– Community halls/Civic centres
– Recreational hubs
– Stadia
– Spray parks
– Resorts
– Braai and picnic spots
– City sports fields
– Nature reserves
These popular Cape Town spots have also shut their doors in response:
Two Oceans Aquarium
The Two Oceans Aquarium will temporarily close its doors to the public from Wednesday, March 18 until Tuesday April 14. A team of animal keepers, aquarists and technicians will remain on duty to oversee the wellbeing of the animals. This will be the first time the Two Oceans Aquarium has closed since Christmas Day in 1996. For refunds, please visit their website.
Galileo Open Air Cinema:
All upcoming screenings at all Galileo locations are cancelled. The screenings will pick up again in October. Current ticket holders may apply for refunds or exchange their tickets for a gift voucher that can be used at a later date.
Zeitz MOCAA:
The popular art museum has closed its doors until April 6, 2020. General admission tickets already booked for this period will either be fully refunded or accepted for entry when the museum re-opens.
Markets:
A number of popular markets throughout the Mother City have closed until further notice, including
– Orangezicht market at the V & A Waterfront
– Neighbourgoods Market at the Old Biscuit Mill
– Mojo Market in Sea Point
– Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay
– Elgin Railway Market
Baxter Theatre
The Baxter Theatre has cancelled all their performances until the end of April. Those that have booked tickets within this time period may apply for a refund on their Webtickets profile, but are being urged to donate the tickets to help support the arts in this difficult time.
Fugard Theatre
The Fugard has suspended all operations until further notice. Patrons may email [email protected] for refunds, or donate their ticket.
All Luke Dale Roberts restaurants:
Chef Luke Dale Roberts and his senior management team have decided to shut down all their restaurants for two weeks. These include The Test Kitchen, The Pot Luck Club, The Shortmarket Club and Salsify at The Roundhouse. These establishments are expected to reopen on Monday March 30, but a final decision will be made on Friday March 27.
Various wine estates:
Delheim and Tokara have shut their doors to allow testing for their staff following the news a coronavirus-positive person recently visited their locations. Delheim will reopen March 27 and Tokara will reopen March 24.
Bo-Kaap:
While the residential area has not been shut down for non-residents, the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association is advising people to not enter the area. The influx of tourists makes residents, many of whom are elderly, more prone to get into contact with travellers from high-risk areas.
Picture: Facebook / Two Oceans Aquarium