After protracted discussions between Cycling South Africa (CSA), its affiliates and Swellendam Municipality; the following decisions regarding the National Road and Time Trials Championships initially scheduled for 5 – 7 February 2021, have been taken.
The National Road and Time Trials Championships is no exception to current COVID-19 regulations which prohibits all management and hosting of events.
The CSA and Swellendam Municipality do not take the decision to reschedule the co-hosted event lightly, as all national events serve as qualifying events for professional cyclists competing for spots in various national teams. Hence the rescheduling of an event of this nature has a ripple effect on time and resource management for both the Cycling Fraternity as well as competing athletes.
The tentative date for the Championships has been allocated as the weekend of 18 to 21 March 2021.
Additionally, other factors contributing to the decision to postpone the National Road and Time Trials Championships are as follows;
- Swellendam has dually been listed as a hotspot with the Overberg District in the Western Cape.
- Medical facilities in Swellendam are currently at maximum capacity and proceeding to host an event on a weekend in February 2021 would further strain and burden the area’s ability to assist 1500 to 2000 visitors and participants should individuals be injured or infected.
Other factors include but are not limited to; participants coming from undeclared hotspots as freedom of movement between provinces, without testing, has not been restricted. Lastly, the roll-out of the vaccine may result in prohibited freedom of movement.
Swellendam’s hotspot status may be revisited or changed post 15 January 2021. The past 10 months have however indicated that status allocations are highly unpredictable as well as that the status quo would depend on whether the area has experienced an infection peak or not.
The Municipality endeavours to appeal to all the accommodation establishments to please adjust event bookings accordingly. In this time of uncertainty, the municipality respects everybody’s desire for clarity and shall endeavour to provide it as and when it is able to do so. Please rest assured that the safety of all participants, visitors and residents remain the priority in all deliberations. For event administrative enquires please feel free to contact Carla Eksteen via 028 514 8500.
For all media enquiries please contact:
Bianca McKechnie
Senior Media and Communications Officer
+27 63 226 3993 / bianca@swellenmun.co.za
