Celebrating the positives our ‘new normal’ brought with it

In a message to the community he serves, Ward 88 councillor David Hensman reminds us to still be cognisant of the challenges exacerbated by the global pandemic and yet, in that recognise the efforts of those around.

Here is more of what he had to say in a Christmas message to implore and motivate.

Dear Residents of Ward 88,

The Covid-19 pandemic has placed additional burdens on all our residents both financially and emotionally. Let me begin by expressing my condolences to those families who have lost a loved one during this period and also to those who have lost a job or a business.

My gratitude goes out to those NGOs who provided food and clothing relief during this period and also to the residents who supported them with generous donations. A few positives to be celebrated arising from the ‘new normal’ situation is a significant reduction in air pollution due to decreased levels of air traffic and vehicle traffic on our roads. Our wildlife has also benefited from reduced human contact during the lockdown.

A word of caution needs to be expressed that going down to Level 1 lockdown does not signal that the pandemic is over. It is a delicate balancing act between health and economic concerns. More than ever each individual needs to take personal responsibility for mask wearing, social distancing and hand washing until a vaccine is freely available. At end October daily positive cases still ranged between 1 500 and 2 000 and Covid-related deaths still averaged 80 to 100 countrywide. We need to avoid a second wave which many overseas countries are experiencing.

Eskom has recently won a court case against Nersa so we can expect double digit increases in electricity tariffs for the next three years. This will make the use of alternative energy sources such as solar and gas increasingly viable.

The pandemic has placed significant strain on the finances of the City which will inevitably lead to cut backs in expenditure budgets and capital infrastructure projects. This reality presents a challenge for communities to take increased responsibility for security and maintenance of public spaces in their suburbs through community policing forums, residents associations and street group initiatives. ‘Know your neighbours’ must become a lived out slogan for every street in this Ward. We need each other more than ever at this time. To those going on holiday, please drive defensively for your own safety.