Well done, mense.
We look to be “flattening the curve”.
On Sunday night, the Health Minister revealed South Africa had recorded 1280 infections.
On Wednesday night, that figure had risen by just 100 to 1380 cases.
It could be that the national lockdown is working.
It certainly does help that travel has been restricted - no more importing Covid-19 carriers by the plane-load.
Zweli Mkhize cautions not to get too excited, though, as only about 50 000 people have been tested, and 1380 is only the number of tested cases that came up positive.
The bad news was that six South Africans have died from Coronavirus-related illnesses. Rest in peace.
But potentially a more serious threat is the revelation that the virus is now on the Cape Flats and in the townships.
There has been one reported case in Khayelitsha so far and already five in Mitchells Plain.
It’s a worst case scenario waiting to
happen.
CAUTION: Zweli Mkhize says only 50 000 mense were tested
With the living conditions - high density of people and homes - social distancing is almost impossible.
Poverty, access to running water, food and hygiene products make self-isolation a real challenge.
Everyone is in agreement that the 21 days of lockdown will be key to combating the outbreak.
But judging by the first seven days, we’re doomed.
Take a drive on the Flats and you’ll see people on the streets going about their normal business, going to work, doing shopping in crowded supermarkets, trying to get by.
This you can almost forgive, but not the people who treat the lockdown as a 21-day holiday - loitering on corners, braaiing, and kids playing in the street.
Munier can understand the anger and frustration at these people, who are putting the whole city at risk with their irresponsible devil-may-care attitude.
LOCKDOWN: Police and army patrolling the streets
But honestly, the criticism should not come from well-off people who are out of touch with life on the ground.
If you can afford to take three weeks off work, don’t talk.
If you have stocked up your fridge and pantry for a month, don’t talk.
If you could afford to panic-buy toilet paper, sanitiser and masks, don’t talk.
Your priorities, needs and fears are different to those of ordinary people in the communities.
Would you like to know why mense don’t take the Coronavirus as seriously as you do?
If you have to contend with skollies shooting daily in your area, drug dealers and child rapists lurking in the streets, then a “foreign” virus is not an immediate threat.
If you decide to lock down, it is for fear of being burgled and killed, not to self-isolate.
If you shop, it is to put food on your table today, not meal prep for... April 15.
If you don’t know, don’t talk.
Munier actually overheard someone complaining the other day: “We are actually all locked in because we are scared of the township residents [ignoring lockdown].”
Strange that, one would have thought people would be more afraid of: 1- Americans; 2- Italians; 3- Spaniards; and 4- Chinese as those are the nations with the highest infection cases.
Eish, the ignorance. From rich and poor.
taariq.halim@inl.co.za