We Make The World We Live In And Shape Our Own Environment !
What do we call this phase in our era?
Like a bullet piercing through me, millions of nerves activating at once, was this even true? What my mom told me felt like things that only happen in movies, but little did we know it was seriously happening, we were at the start of a worldwide pandemic. It started off as a mere mother instinct, but she did what she thought was right. "Wash your hands, stay away from crowds, and do not eat takeout…" all these felt like unnecessary instructions, but it was just the start.
The day played out quite normal but what happened next baffles me to this moment. All news broadcasts and university chat rooms started flooding with news of a new “Virus”. At first it sounded like something Aunty Saras (from your mother’s sister’s husband’s side) would send on the family group chat and tell you to tie your hair or it would catch you, but this was no joke. This was serious. We needed to realise it, sooner rather than later.
The hours became days and the days became weeks before we actually realised we were in the middle of a crisis. University had sent us an email by now saying that all academic programme was to be suspended until further notice. A free holiday? I think not. I remember it being an endless misery of what felt like unnecessary drama until that one headline: one death recorded in South Africa. This took the nation by surprise and people realised how serious this actually was. Covid-19 was real.
Roughly 90 cases later our dear Mr President decides to address our beloved country. “My fellow South Africans …” and the next thing we knew we were under lock-down. 21 days was the agreement as that was what he thought fit to control the increasing numbers. At first it was all fun and games as many family members (besides essential workers) were told to stay at home. The real issue that stood at the time however was getting groceries and that started chaos in supermarkets all over the country. But the marginalised were the poverty stricken, how were they going to live under such uncalled-for decisions. Street vendors and corner shops were told to close due to lock-down protocols and this was just the beginning of what felt like the end.
Just 3 weeks passed when Mr President decided that with the lock-down bringing the infection rate down to 40% it was only fit to extend it. The nation needed to embrace another 3 weeks whether they liked it or not.
From homeless to semi-income households, all felt the pinch of this change. Companies began closing down and some even started cutting salaries just to be able to breathe. The virus was not the only thing taking lives. Crime grew to rise and so did meme pages. From a fumbled mask to a mere vibrator mix up we found ourselves using humour to hide how much this was really affecting us. A death here and a death there felt like just a normal headline at this point. The tens became hundreds and the hundreds now sit at what we see today as thousands of active cases to the devious Covid-19.
To be the light at the end of the tunnel, our lock-down had reached level 4 ( I was not aware that we were even at level 5) and fast food restaurants were opened, delivery only, but what about the people who are unaware where their next meal will come from. Oh yes, our president decided to give all unemployed people a sum of R350. However, the process to get this will result in many standing in lines and if I am not mistaken social distancing always needs to be implemented. How is this going to work for the hundreds, if not, thousands of individuals that require such income.
Are the decisions and regulations really helping us stay alive or is it rather giving way to other death tolls? Do we sit down and watch our world slowly become a shrunken prune? Is there nothing we can do to help? All these questions have the same unanswered whiteboard doodles.
If we did not take the time to see how alcohol and cigarettes controlled our daily lives more than fear not because Mrs Dlamini herself has shown us just this by extending the ban on all tobacco-based products. It was her decision that “when people zol…” the contact of saliva would increase the spread of this virus. This caused chaos and anger to thrive among the nation. Rumour has it that Mrs. Dlamini is rather favouring her son’s illegal tobacco trade with such a decision but who am I to point that out when that is not the only illegal thing happening in our beloved country today.
Level 3, I would have never dreamed of reading such a headline if you asked me this question a month ago. Is it too soon you ask? Well, how about uplifting the ban on alcohol? This brought smiles to many faces but is it the right thing to be happy about? The regulations may keep the sale under control, but this also means that many would flock to stores in order to purchase these once forbidden items. Does this not contradict the whole “staying safe” memo? If the president said it then it is done. Alcohol is once again legal to sell and purchase but the situation regarding tobacco products worsens.
Illegal trade is no new topic of discussion but daylight robbery has become the new favourite. Your friendly neighbourhood dealer would now find it fit to charge you twice, if not, three times the amount you would usually pay. Refusing such an offer is out of mind all because you are vulnerable. But should this trying time not make us united instead of opportunists? I guess not. Everyone has to make ends meet and bills to pay and this is why I find myself asking the question once again: Are the decisions and regulations really helping us stay alive or is it rather giving way to other death tolls?
Campus life has become a struggle for many, and this seemed to cause many questions regarding previously mentioned “…data and devices” promise. After countless discussions online lectures started to commence across the country while the battle of network remained in our midst. Students found it hard to access certain information and the number of complaints kept increasing, but that was not the only thing notifying us as the number of cases were also at their highest with now over 50 000 active cases recorded in South Africa alone.
Masks and hand sanitisers have by now become part of our daily lives. 3 months ago, taking your temperature was only done at the doctors’ surgery but now you find it being done almost everywhere as if you were a bar code. Washing your hands and covering your “sneeze releaser” has never been encouraged this much before and this is why it alarms me of what state this world was in before our well known Covid-19 even came to be. But that is a topic for another day…
The time was 20h00 and the date 18 June 2020 but it felt as if this was imaginary as Mr President decides to address yet again with what seemed to be good news (to some). Twenty minutes later it was brought to our attention that we would now be able to catch up on those split ends and rather Merlin inspired beards. Watching your new favourite actors will also be allowed as not only salons, but cinemas have also been given the permission to open.
Stress, worry, panic and intuition were slowly deteriorating as the government kept giving us what we thought we needed. Privileges were found to be more important in comparison to safety and this was the main issue of the increasing numbers. When will the world realise how serious this is? Will we ever be able to go back to our normal lives or has this now become our deadly reality? These and many more questions started filling up journals as well as medical bills and the demand for freedom from the cold hands of Covid-19. Was this the beginning of the end or will the climax amaze us?
Roughly 300 000 cases later and I still find myself baffled on the concept of schools opening. Although only matriculants and grade 11 students were allowed to dust off their blazers, the commonly feared “Peak’ is almost in our midst. The fight to flatten the curve has rather uplifted the whole “staying safe memo” and this is all because Thomas needs to complete his art project. The state that our planet is at today should show the government that the encouragement of outdoor visits is not a good idea. But, let me not only mention the shortfalls because the beloved alcohol ban has once again been put into place. Will this be the only thing that they realise is a prior bad decision? I guess the climax is definitely something to look forward to.
The decision to close schools has been taken but taxis are still allowed to load to 70% capacity. Restaurants are allowed to operate but grade 12 learners might not be able to write their final exams. Does all these decisions not contradict each other? The only people that can answer these questions are too busy being made fun of and we have no choice but to respect their decisions.
Are we being led into total abyss or will we eventually see the light at the end of the tunnel…
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