by Surene Esterhuizen
It is Lockdown Day 28 …
When lockdown started, I planned doing a lot of things and wanted to blog about it. I have started a few things which are just not all completed yet and now we have seven days left to rush doing a few more things. However, after the first week I started to get irritated – I don’t go out that often, but just because I’m not allowed to go out, I felt trapped – like 90% of my fellow South Africans feel.
Yesterday I mentioned to someone … I am turning 50 this year and this type of thing that we are going through now, no one has anticipated. As a country and as individuals, we were not prepared for this. I have a few friends between 75 and 80 who also has not even experienced something like this in their lives yet. I had an emergency fund about seven years ago, but due to unexpected happenings, that fund was depleted within four months. It took me almost 12 years to get an emergency fund of substance.
It is now seven years later and no decent emergency fund in sight. I realised that although most South Africans cannot save for an emergency fund, they are the ones who need it the most. What are we going to do in the foreseeable future when things go back to normal? A lot of freelancers and contractors don’t earn any income during this time, they don’t even qualify for UIF. They are starting after lockdown with immense debt and have to catch up with that and keep making ends meet. The reality is that within a few weeks your financial burden gets a lot worse quickly and can easily take you 12 months plus to just break even again. Let alone try to start saving for an emergency fund … That will take you a lot longer.
And then there are R500 billion (9 fricking zeros!!) available to rescue South Africa’s economy … I don’t know how they plan this, but all I see is all that coffers that shouldn’t be filled will be filled. On Facebook there were a lot of posts about people thinking that if the government give each of South Africa’s approximately 58 million people each a million rand there will still be a lot of money left to rescue the South African economy. Oh my word!! If people can think crap like this, without alcohol imagine what solutions they will come up with when having alcohol available.
There is a reason why those people are not getting a million rand each – their math’s sucks!!! If you want to give 58 million people each one million rand, it will cost the country R58 trillion – it is fricking 12 zeros!!!!!!! You can’t give away more that what you have … sounds like a lot of South Africans is in the same camp as our previous president, Mr. Zuma!
I had to go and write these numbers down. I had to do the multiplication … because too many zeros are just too daunting!!! I know!! 😊
I am sitting here, like millions of South Africans, waiting on Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa to address the nation tonight. Two weeks ago, he announced an additional two weeks of lockdown, which almost pushed me over the edge. I have sympathy with people who suffer from anxiety!! It is not easy! What can we expect tonight? After 28 days at home, not being allowed to go anywhere … not even for a casual walk, I now look forward to spending my days at work! Although, one can get used to working from home if the wifi is working with you!
One thing is for sure, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa has earned a lot of respect from fellow South Africans during the last few weeks!! He is a caring man and one can see in his eyes how difficult it is for him to make the announcements of decisions made – all not on his own. WHO (World Health Organization) has commended South Africa for acting swiftly and for following scientific advice to delay the spread of the virus. Tonight, once again I am proudly South African!!
He said tonight that a nationwide lockdown is the most effective way to contain the spread of the virus, but it is not sustainable. It gets back to what I wrote earlier: people don’t have emergency funds and they need to eat and earn a living. Even people who had an emergency fund are already running low on that too. Companies need to generate revenue and keep their employees employed.
He explained the five coronavirus levels and we are currently on the highest level: 5. We will be easing into level 4 as from 1st May 2020. At level 4 it means that some activity can be allowed to resume for example business, subject to extreme precautions required to limit community transmission and outbreaks.
The way I understand it some businesses will be allowed to start operations under specific conditions. There will be detailed health and safety protocols to protect their employees and plans will be put in place to protect the employees. If a business is allowed to resume activities, it will be in a phased manner, and workforce will be allowed to return one-third at a time.
It is even encouraged that where people can work from home, that they still do that. Which industries can return to work, will be spelt out next week following a final round of consultations. Let’s hope that everyone that needs to follow the rules will do so.
Now, we are just waiting on the relevant Ministers who will provide details on the process to follow for the phased re-opening of schools, colleges and universities. Matrics are waiting in anticipation to complete their last year. Grade 7’s want to complete their last Primary School year with flying colors and students want to return so that they can finish their academic year.
Our borders will still be closed on level 4, and travel between provinces will also not be allowed, except for transport of goods and in exceptional circumstances like funerals. No, I don’t think weddings qualify … did someone think of asking Mr. Ramaphosa?
Although some people are allowed to return to work, lockdown procedures still needs to be followed at home. No parties, no braais, no!! no!! no!! no!!! The virus can still spread!
Public transport will continue and all passengers MUST wear masks. In fact, every one who leaves their house has to wear a mask now. No matter how difficult it is. I am pretty sure that Mr Ramaphosa did this struggling-with-the-mask-thing on purpose – he knew that within seconds South Africans will see the humor once again in a situation where others will only worry and stress! And true to South African tradition the photos spread like a virus (pun intended) on social media!
The coronavirus is spread by contact between people.
If people do not travel, the virus does not travel.
May God bless South Africa and protect her people!
#LockDownDay28 #CyrilRamaphosa #CyrilsMask