Covid-19: Valuable lessons learned and hardships overcome
It has been a year since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the lockdown due to Covid-19. Polokwane Observer asked residents about some of the valuable lessons they have learned from Covid-19 and others what hardships they had to overcome.
A five-year-old child was knocked down by this police vehicle in Outspan Drive last Thursday.
It has been a year since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the lockdown due to Covid-19. The pandemic drastically changed people’s lives and left a permanent effect on the way they work, live, socialise and general movement. It brought fear among many citizens, people resorted to panic buying and many lost their jobs and assets.
Polokwane Observer asked residents about some of the valuable lessons they have learned from Covid-19 and others what hardships they had to overcome.
Mahlatse Ndlovu: The virus caught us off-guard. We were never prepared. It destroyed the hopes and dreams of many young people. Many of them lost their jobs and some had to endure the salary cuts and it was not easy. I learned to prepare for any eventualities in life.Andrea Theunissen: I think the biggest lesson learned is that anything can happen and change in seconds. Always find God first in every situation and not always when things are difficult. Family is everything. I learned to love myself and accept that tough times will test your mind and heart. Stay true and just keep going and never give up.Christina Grotsius: I am thankful I did not have any Covid symptoms yet but what I did learn from this that anything can change in an instant. Appreciate what you have and give your help to those who are suddenly going through a crisis because overnight everything can change for everyone. Never look down on others and also never think you are better or have more. Circumstances strike like a sudden storm that can do great damage.Karabo Ramodike: I learned the importance of saving money. A lot of people lost jobs but they are able to afford certain basic amenities. I also learned to value life and appreciate every given moment because tomorrow is not guaranteed.Ndivhuwo Chirenga: As an academic tutor the effects of the shortened academic year were tough on my business. No one required my assistance anymore. It was only when people migrated to online learning that I saw a gap that I could fill. I also adapted my business model to suit the current situation and moved towards having tutoring classes online. The mechanisms were difficult in the first few weeks but I am hopeful that things will get better. Oh, I also took on a few temporary jobs during this time in order to support myself and my son.Hloni Nukeri: I was unemployed before the pandemic and it was already difficult to support my wife and child. The challenges I already faced only increased with the pandemic. Luckily I was able to get employment as a teacher assistant.Anza Randima: The first few months of the lockdown were bad, but it definitely got worse as time progressed. Initially my working hours were decreased, which resulted in a smaller salary. Then I lost my job after another few months and things started to get really tough. As a single mother of a beautiful baby girl it is becoming increasingly difficult to take care of her. This is a challenge that I am still trying to overcome as I have not found a job yet. I am hopeful that my situation will change soon and I will be able to say I survived the pandemic.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
You can read the full story on our App. Download it here.
