Durban's beachfront promenades - including the famed Golden Mile - will not be open under level 4 of the national lockdown.

The promenades are popular with cyclists, runners, dog walkers and for general outdoor activity. But access will not be allowed, the municipality said on Saturday morning.

This comes after hundreds of runners and joggers flocked to the various city promenades on Friday, the first day of the slightly reduced lockdown restrictions.

In a statement on Saturday, the eThekwini municipality said it recognised that activities such as running were allowed under stage four, but for safety reasons the promenade would remain closed.

'We are not going to take any chances. Everyone needs to be mindful of the fact that the city is the epicentre of this pandemic [in KZN]. We are going to embark on a deep cleaning and sanitising operation of the entire facility before we open it to the public,” said eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced on Friday night that KwaZulu-Natal had breached the 1,000 mark for confirmed Covid-19 cases. Only the Western Cape and Gauteng had registered more cases.

The decision to keep the promenade closed was taken in consultation with the Provincial Joint Command and in compliance with the National Disaster Act.

 “We are appealing to our residents to bear with us and we apologise for the inconvenience. Yes, residents have been yearning for jogging and cycling on the promenade but we cannot dice with their lives," said Kaunda.