The pandemic felt like a distant memory on February 3 in Cape Town. Once a month, galleries, restaurants, and shops in the city center open until late, turning the area into a massive pedestrian zone. “Friends told me that there would hardly be any restrictions,” German tourist Dominik Irschik told DW. He had just arrived in Cape Town. “But I didn’t expect this. Streets, bars, and clubs are full of people — everybody is relaxed and lives like normal again. It’s great,” Irschik said.
On the other side of Cape Town, life is also getting back to normal in the Khayelitsha township. Two years ago, financial problems and the pandemic forced Siphelo Jalivane to close his milk bar and restaurant. Now the place is packed for the reopening. “COVID has taught us a lot of things. You need to put your eggs in different baskets,” Jalivane said. “I wish I won’t even hear the name COVID again,” co-owner Mfundo Mbeki chimed in. “That’s what we are wishing for.”
Uptick in tourist arrivals
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