Key to action is to give the coronavirus a face

World-acclaimed film stars Idris Elba and Tom Hanks, who have tested positive for the coronavirus, not only put a human face to the pandemic, but have underscored the importance of displaying leadership in times of crisis.

“Transparency is probably the best thing,” was how Elba put it in a video he posted on Twitter, appearing with wife Sabrina Dhowre – encouraging people exhibiting symptoms of the virus to get tested.

“We live in a divided world right now, we can all feel it… but now is the time for solidarity, now is the time to be thinking of each other,” Elba could not have said it better.

For Hanks and wife Rita Wilson – who have just been released from isolation in Australia after testing positive for coronavirus – to have also posted on Twitter about testing positive, is a courageous act.

This week, Chinese embassy spokesperson Du Ping also said a mouthful, reminding us that “the virus knows no borders”.

“This is indeed a global battle between man and nature. No country can fight the virus alone,” said Ping.

While social distancing and adhering to a hygiene regime is slowly taking off in South Africa, limiting nonessential travel, working from home and skipping gatherings – a strategy said to have saved thousands of lives both during the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 and in Mexico City during the 2009 flu pandemic – has become a reality.

After weeks of indecision at the Union Buildings, the penny finally dropped, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet to swing into action, following the declaration of a national state of disaster, banning travel into the country by people from high-risk countries.

True and decisive leadership from the front is what we all longed for, from those holding levers of state power.

It has emerged at this week’s inter-ministerial task team media briefing on the coronavirus that it is not yet known whether Cabinet ministers have been tested for the virus.

Responding to a question from journalists, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor could not give details on whether the Cabinet has tested.

Ministers are not merely leaders of the ruling ANC, but leaders of society, whose leadership by example is closely scrutinised.

Publicly testing for the virus and declaring medical status, is something that could go a long way in encouraging and assuring the public that such an approach to Covid-19 is certainly a way to go.

Great leaders never take a back seat, but demonstrate passion for their vision and strategies by being in the front, being visible and engaged – in good and bad times.

Instead of being defensive, they own up and take full responsibility.

Had this virus emerged from South Africa, one wonders whether we could have moved with the speed with which the Xi Jinping government of China showed the world how to roll up the sleeves in dealing with a calamity.

While South Africa is never short of great leaders, the ANC’s major weakness is scrutinising the person with solutions, pondering on whether the idea is implementable.

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