Ban on use of Number Two jetty to remain?

The Department of Home Affairs is adamant that Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is not a "designated point of entry" and is standing by its decision that all cruise ships must berth in Duncan Dock, according to a report on Business Live.

However, IOL quotes Tourism MEC Alan Winde as saying he plans to fight the ban and will meet with Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma today to try and persuade her to overturn the ban.

He says ships have been docking at the Number Two jetty in Table Bay for more than 100 years.

Home Affairs meanwhile claims that the restriction has been imposed as part of "an immigration overhaul" and points out that the passenger liners docking at the Waterfront have free public access to the ships and inadequate immigration controls.

At least 13 cruise ships are due to dock in Cape Town between January and March.

Winde contends that it "makes economic sense" for visitors to be welcomed to Cape Town at the Waterfront berth. He says that the berth cannot accommodate vessels longer than 200m and he will ask Dlamini Zuma to continue to allow the smaller vessels to keep using the Number Two jetty.

Last year 18 000 tourists, on a total of 19 cruise ships, disembarked in Cape Town.

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