From braais to beatings: SA’s great wall of privilege

As the country paddles into unknown territory in the 21-day lockdown period ordered by President Cyril Ramaphosa, one cannot help but remember a famous quote from George Orwell’s book Animal Farm: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

The thought comes as a series of videos from across the country have emerged on social media showing the impact the 21-day lockdown has had on many.

As even more uncertainty looms, companies are feeling the pinch and have been forced to find cost savings to survive past the stated 21-day period, to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic – provided the lockdown period is not extended past April, or June, or worse, even August.

The impact of the lockdown seems to have hit the poor hardest, while the privileged can afford to bask in a panic over the thought of not being able to walk their dogs.

In the space of two weeks, Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster before ordering a 21-day national lockdown amid fears that thousands had already been infected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The impact of the announcements resulted in uncontrolled panic-buying, which unfortunately meant even greater distress for the poor. The president’s announcement of a lockdown on March 23 came days before payday for many, as many clawed their way to their monthly payday checkpoints.

But our country, like many others, has very conflicting societal realities between the well-off, the getting-by and the I-need-a-grant-to-support-my-three-children poor.

The differences in these realities will sadly reveal different stories should the lockdown period flatten the rising curve of Covid-19.

On one hand we will have tales of survival without a maid and limited toilet paper, and on the other how someone died due to a growing pandemic as health workers could not save the 15th person to die from the virus in the same congested township.

We live in different realities, and I hope this pandemic shocks us into unknown territory emotionally for us to realise that for once we actually need each other.

Grim imagery of the SANDF (South African National Defence Force) forcing people to do pushups in township areas, while others enjoy a lekker communal braai are perfect reminders of the different realities our country has.

Dear @SAPoliceService pic.twitter.com/Zr5GcLoKcv

— African (@ali_naka) March 29, 2020

This is not a sin, but a perfect reminder of our country’s situation. We live in different realities, of some positive Covid-19 patients allegedly gaining sympathy for going to a pet store to buy “her pet babies food”- while risking the lives of staffers at the pet shop – as others will head home without any idea of what to eat this week since their employment for domestic work has been put on hold.

From braais to the unpunished beatings of law enforcement, these remain the harsh realities in our country in a nationwide spread of an unpredictable pandemic. These remain tough times for some and a never-ending nightmare for others.

We are in unknown territory, and it is our will to unite and support the national order to remain at home to limit the spread of the virus, which may defeat our common enemy to ensure we all get back to our realities of privilege, or lack of it.

Gopolang Moloko

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