A fruit and vegetable vendor in Alexandra, Johannesburg sells her goods while wearing a mask, traders are allowed to trade under the new regulations of level 4 lockdown, 5 May 2020. Picture Tracy Lee Stark
Four months into the global coronavirus crisis – whose death toll might be overshadowed by the long-term devastation on society wrought by lockdowns – it has become a cliché to say humanity now has the opportunity to push the “reset” button.
At best, there will be global recession; at worst a full-blown depression, the likes of which haven’t been experienced since after the 1929 stock market crash. How do we “reset” in the midst of that?
In a country like South Africa – with vast poverty and limited state resources (even before these get looted) – there is simply not enough to go round.
As our guest opinion writer, Hein Kaiser, says today, perhaps the solution is in what he terms “collective capitalism”, a marriage between the principles of socialist community ideals and the push to earn a decent living.
Whoever you are – unemployed, retrenched, or reduced-salary – you’re going to have to make a plan. That plan, believes Kaiser, lies in helping each other while we help ourselves.
“Neighbours first. Community first. Support local. Buy local. Buy direct. Create opportunities for yourself, your family, your neighbours and your community.”
To use another cliché: We can be more than the sum of our parts.
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