COVID 19: SA Lockdown, Diary of an Immigrant

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

At midnight South Africa goes into lock down as the Corona virus adjusts our daily experiences. A month ago no one would have predicted this eventuality. On Wednesday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize stated that the number of Corona cases in SA had reached 709. The 21 day lock down imposed by President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to reduce the number of new Corona cases as people are restricted of non essential travel and reside at their own homes.

With this in mind, I decided to also stock up on food stuffs in ma little one bedroom apartment which would be my home for the next 21 days. Like most people in SA everyone is stocking up on food and basic necessities before the lock down, despite the fact that supermarkets would remain open during the lock down. In Rosebank, I decided to visit Food Lovers Market to buy my lunch, but it seemed they too had run out of most food stuffs. Apparently people had already grabbed all the delicacies even the sweet tarts and doughnuts. At Pick' n Pay there was a huge queue outside as people tried to get into the supermarket. It seemed the chain stores were keeping to the rule of a 100 people at any given location. Though commendable social distancing was non existent for the people in the queues, from banks to chain stores people stood side by side, shoulder to shoulder as if non of them is aware of the importance of social distancing in the wake of Covid 19. So many people have insisted that social distancing is impossible in Africa, I guess they were spot on with that observation.  At 3pm I left the fancy surroundings of Rosebank where masks and hand sanitizers were in full sight at every corner.
 
Hillbrow is home to many immigrants of African origin and i am no exception. I call this my home because its close to most central places in Johannesburg. Its filthy compared to trendy Rosebank and cramped with people, here the masks are scarce and most shops use mentholated spirit than the fancy hand sanitizers in upmarket joints. As I gaze through the window of the cramped taxi I am seated in, its inevitable to notice that its business as usual in these streets dotted by high rise buildings. Social distancing is unheard off, obviously because of the huge population in this small enclave of Joburg built along the lines of an urban Manhattan of the apartheid era. I look at the dingy brothels and wonder how the ladies in there will cope when lock down is in full swing. The dirty bars always full of smoke of all things imaginable, how will the staff pay their bills? The landlords behind the curtains that divide bedrooms demanding their rentals, how will the vendors pay such bills? As for the immigrant who is a waiter in Sandton surviving on tips, what will they eat and how will they pay their bills with 21 days at home and no income.

The lock down is a welcome move to reduce the number of infections, but its going to hurt the poor of the poorest who are not covered among the government initiatives. The majority of these are immigrants living in SA legal and illegal. As i dropped off the taxi, I found it hard to purchase my necessities because of the queues at most retail outlets. Seeing the long winding queues reminded me of the crisis I left back home. It was as if Zimbabwe had followed me to SA. I patiently waited in the queue only to be hit by the reality of empty and quarter full shelves. I grabbed the much required necessities and made my way home. Its going to be a helluva 21 days and I guess will have enough time to update this blog. Stay safe and remember to wash those hands. Signing out Generation X18.