Know thy enemy.
All in this together
Regardless of color, race, age, nationality or social status, we all share one fundamental thing, that is we are human.
This is by far one of the most critical lessons Covid-19 taught us all.
It has not discriminated based on what one can or cannot afford, what position they hold, who they know and certainly not which country they come from. If we are to defeat it, we need to overlook the artificial boundaries we have created as humanity and especially the now insignificant differences we value, wealth, status, social class and I repeat nationality.
I write this piece at the backdrop of the realities that are happening in some areas of our beautiful South Africa. Over the last few months, I have had the privilege of working within the informal retail space assisting spaza shops to source and receive delivery of their inventory at the lowest available price in the market.
Working directly in this space has exposed me to the beautiful blend of African that makes the South African informal retail market. It boasts citizens from South Africa, Ethiopia, Somalia, and other countries all striving to make a living while serving their communities. Unfortunately, it has also dominated headlines numerous times for the wrong reasons, the insistent xenophobic attacks. A 2019 report by the sustainable livelihoods organization the South African informal retail space is 80% foreign-owned a fact which rightly should be an area of concern, however at the right time.
As the whole world fights one common enemy the virus claiming thousands of lives around the globe, that has left people old and young literally fighting for their very breath it is sad to note that in some of our communities there is some confusion over who the real enemy is.
The government in its efforts to flatten the exponentially growing covid-19 curve instituted a national lockdown on all businesses with the exception of essential service providers. Our local heroes’ Spaza shops were listed as essential, the reason being they would minimize the movement of people in township areas. There is a spaza shop on every other corner in most townships. So instead of people traveling long distances to big shopping centers in order to get their essential groceries, they could walk five minutes to their nearest spaza and limit interaction with large groups of people.
However, somewhere along the lines, the discussion became about only opening the South African owned spaza shops. Need I remind you of the harsh realities of this market, it is 80% foreign-owned.
Essentially if we close the foreign-owned stores the very communities we are trying to save are going to have to take a taxi to get to the nearest shopping center where they are going to spend hours standing in a queue getting exposed to large groups of other shoppers also to buy their groceries. All these individuals will then go back to their communities and risk spreading the virus. But before this, they would spend more hours in an empty taxi rank waiting for a taxi as there have been curfews that have been placed on public transport ( they operate between 0500–0900 and between 1600- 2000).
Don’t get me wrong, it is imperative to empower the local South African but we need to be cognisant to fight the right battles at the right time.
If we do not realize the battle we are currently fighting or the enemy we will not only lose the war as a country but more likely the very lives we are trying to save. The fight is not against the foreigner running the store, it is against the Virus that is attacking our communities despite the language we speak, our staple diet or where we consider home.
Developed countries like Spain Italy and even the US with all their advanced systems and are struggling to contain this vicious virus. Our economy has already taken major blows and healthcare systems will be stretched, more so in our township areas. Soweto alone is home to 1.5 million of our lower and middle-class citizens, the majority do not have medical cover. This is not the moment to let our pride as individuals get in the way.
The battle is not against another human its an against an invisible enemy Covid-19. We are all in this together.
This is the second article in the 30-day writing challenge um taking up. I was to write about something I feel strongly about. I hope you enjoyed.
Check out the first -> 10 things that make me happy
The third-> Coming soon
