Lockdown South Africa

Yesterday was the 10^th anniversary of the day I arrived in South Africa. I celebrated by going back and reading my early blogs (check out my archive going back to 2010) and trying to remember that fresh-off-the-plane Lisa. So much has been packed into these years that I had forgotten many of the stories. I was struck by my sense of humor as I shared my experiences back then. Whoa, where’d that go?

Now would be a good time to recapture that –– now that we are in the middle of a global pandemic. I see people from around the world creating and posting so many clever and funny photos, memes, and videos to help cheer the rest of us shut-ins.

Not me, I start each day watching the news. I know, I know, not the best way to recapture my sense of humor and a positive outlook on life! But there is a desperate need to know what’s going on in the USA for the sake of my family and friends there, as well as a need to know what is going on here in South Africa for my own health and safety.

The 21 Day Lockdown began March 27. Here’s what the first week looked like as best I can tell from the vantage point of my living room:

Day 1

Personal space in a queue

The grocery stores are open but they only allow a certain number of people in at once. So there are long lines to get into the store, but they are not maintaining social distancing, which obviously defeats the purpose of limiting how many people get in. Same ol’ South African queues  with a minimalist concept of personal space.

Reporters all over the country show video footage of the local scene: looks like a public holiday, children playing in the streets, adults drinking in the yard. People are not taking the lockdown seriously.

One story showed dump trucks transporting the homeless to “places of safety”. They are being housed and fed so they could stay healthy. Why can’t we do this all the time?

Day 2

South Africa is now up to 1170 cases and has now reported two deaths. This changes everything. The lockdown really begins.

A man was arrested for disobeying the department of health. He had been tested for the virus and told to remain in town pending the results. When it came back positive, they tracked him down in another province (SA’s version of a state) and arrested him.

55 people were arrested for breaking curfew.

Soldiers were shutting down stores that stayed open too late or were not essential services.

3000 Community leaders were roaming their neighborhoods to enforce social distancing and send kids home.

Ndebele initiation ceremony

Initiation schools were cancelled. This is an important ceremony that happens each year where the boys go up into the mountains and get circumcised (with a knife and no anaesthetics) and return home as men. Wonder if boys thought this was bad news or good?

Day 3

41,000 water trucks were sent to informal settlements. Again, why aren’t we doing this all the time?

A person was arrested for posting a video on facebook that contained misinformation on Covid 19. Am I outraged about the loss of the freedom of speech? NO

80% of homeless are now in shelters.

There are now roadblocks to stop people from traveling across provincial borders (state lines).

Day 4

Typical "healer" flier

 A man was arrested in Durban for locking 14 workers in a warehouse for 6 days forcing them to make masks, not as a humanitarian effort but pure greed.

There is a warning out to traditional healers that they will be arrested for promising false cures for the virus. Traditional healers are the Sangoma’s, Ngomas, witch doctors. Their ads for "cures" are plastered all over the poles at every traffic intersection. This crisis presented another opportunity to make money off the vulnerable. 

We are up to 248 arrests for violations.

Lockdown violators

The complaints are starting to come in about the methods of enforcing the lockdown. There are videos of soldiers making people do squats, push ups, roll in the mud. The last is demeaning and wrong, but being forced to exercise is better than being arrested or asked to pay a fine you have no way of paying.

End of month is when social grants for the elderly and disabled are distributed. Social grant distribution centers ran out of money by 2:00 pm and people were sent home with no way to buy food.

Day 5

Every day there are so many stories about how bad things are in the townships. The situation was already bad but now it is even worse, as people have lost all their means of getting food. But one amazingly good thing that is happening with this virus crisis - it is bringing awareness of the situation of the townships to all the millions of people who never go into them. And they are actually caring! Feeding schemes are popping up. The government is helping the homeless. It shows us that we CAN do these things, it is possible, and it can continue even after the crisis is over.

Day 7

We are having staring contests with the giraffes in our front yard for entertainment. They usually win, they are very curious animals.

We made a shopping trip into town to get fresh produce. There were no problems, we weren’t stopped. We were able to find everything needed, except wine and flour.

We are blessed.