It began with an operation, itself a form of lockdown, and convalescence in the silent suburbs was welcome but brought with it worries about the future
with a kidney operation at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg. I had to have the op at some stage, because my left kidney was swelling up dangerously and postponing it was unwise. It was dangerous to enter a public space where Covid-19 lurked, the doctor warned me on the phone, but, I thought, if I didn’t get the op done now, would it ever get done? Public hospitals would soon be overrun with people struggling to breathe, so I took the plunge.
. The usual roar of Johannesburg had subsided into a pregnant hush, which hovered heavily about me as I peed blood every 10 minutes or so into my tiny garden. It was a welcome silence — the perfect backdrop for convalescence — but there was disquiet in the quiet. The silence signalled closed shops, folding businesses, more unemployment and added desperation to a country already on its financial knees.
By and large, the police and the army have left the middle class suburbs alone. Instead, they’ve been busy in the townships. I’ve read stories of brutality. Lockdown in a shack must make mine appear a holiday. Behind my walls I have my wi-fi, my river of access to information, friends, family and entertainment. The virus is making us even moreBut no matter where we are riding out this storm, I’m pretty sure there are commonalities. I know I’ve had difficulty sleeping, as have many of my friends.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Covid-19: Banks grant R7.74bn in relief to customersBanks provided R7.74 billion in cash-flow relief to their financially distressed customers from March 16 to April 25, the Banking Association South Africa said at the weekend. busrep lockdown
Read more »
Accéntuate eyes flooring for education and health sectors as Covid-19 bitesGroup’s vinyl manufacturer, FloorworX, has been operating as an essential service during lockdown
Read more »
Cooking on fire linked to higher Covid-19 death rate, study findsThe air is cleaner with a third of the global population on lockdown, but South Africans who use solid fuel to cook and heat their homes could face a higher Covid-19 death rate.
Read more »
Covid-19 pandemic: 'catastrophic' economic impact looming in SAAs many as 7-million South Africans could join the ranks of the jobless if large swathes of the economy remain shut until the end of the year, with more than 2.5-million jobs at risk even if the pandemic is contained quickly and the economy bounces back.
Read more »
Covid-19: More than 440 new infections and eight new deaths in one dayThe number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa reached 6783 on Sunday and the death toll has risen to 131.
Read more »
Side Entry: The good and bad news for rugby in the time of Covid-19The bad news is that, after the Covid-19 crisis has passed, rugby will most likely not be the same again. The good news is that, after Covid-19, rugby will most likely not be the same again.
Read more »