Authorities in South Africa' have accused European tourists of defying a ban on visit to beaches along the famous Garden Route.

The Garden Route, situated along the coast in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces is one of the most scenic parts of the country and popular with tourists.

The ban by the government was introduced in December last year, to curb the spread of covid19 as findings identified recreational areas, hotspots for the transmission of the highly infectious disease.

Speaking to journalists following a tour of the area, South Africa’s Police Minister – Bheki Cele said even though, the overall compliance with Covid-19 regulations was much better than he had expected, soldiers would be deployed to help enforce the ban as the number of police officers in the area is insufficient.