On 23rd March our venerable President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation. On all television networks and all radio broadcasts. I only have a radio so I listened on radio that night. Speaking to the nation in a calm manner and his impeccable English, he announced a total Lockdown from 27th March until 16th April. I was sitting at my desk with my laptop open and online at the time. Within 11 minutes of the start of his address, all the holiday reservation cancellations arrived via Booking.com in my e-mail inbox. This had to happen.
With my Avon skin care sales, I had already received my last orders and delivered them to the various customers. My private clients were fine; they paid me immediately. I also have five "sellers" in various retail complexes who sell to the ladies and gents at their place of work. Of course, I delivered these large orders up front and would normally be paid by the 6th of the next month. This has not possible this month. I hope that I will receive the money after we are "let out" again one day.
Yes, because we have had another address by the president and he has extended our Lockdown by another two weeks. Until end of April. He commended South Africa for keeping the law so admirably. He also quoted stats and figures of how the first two weeks of Lockdown has improved the situation and "flattened the curve" which was the government's intention when implementing strict closures. One example which stands out is that before Lockdown, the known daily cases of people testing positive for the virus was 46%. When he spoke on national television and radio on the eve of the Easter weekend, he announced that the figure had dropped to 4%!
So here we are with another 18 days (and not a mere four days) of Lockdown.
It hasn't been difficult for me; I live on a farm and of course, I am able to get out and walk the dog every day. I also "see" my dear neighbors regularly. My heart goes out to the people who are stuck in the townships. I miss Thandi but I suspect she misses the daily meals she has here and the food parcels I send home with her every time she works for me. I am in WhatsApp contact with her sister and we chat every so often. She says Thandi is fine.
Before Lockdown, from the beginning of March, I started with strict measures in my own little cottage. There was a comprehensive video in Zulu on my phone . It had subtitles in English. I played it for Thandiwe and explained that we had to wash our hands in a Savlon solution just inside the front door. And also sanitize and use the wet wipes when we went out to clean the holiday accommodation. We still had guests until the 21 st of March. Thandi and I made sure we blitzed the unit between guests and we let guests know this.
A bucket of Savlon solution at our door ; Thandi and I both washed here everytime we entered the house
Dispensable handcleaner, a soap to lather in the water (in bucket below this surface) and hand cream to avoid dryness
Gavin, the farmer, gave me a 5 liter container of sanitizer. I have since decanted two liters into another holder for Thandiwe to take home. It was important that they stay safe and keep washing their hands at their place of home in the township.
5 liter container of sanitizer which I decanted half into a spray bottle for Thandi to use at home
Until 25th March I still held group meetings in town and in the Valley where I weighed members. I used surgical gloves; sanitized the scale between weigh-ins and had hand sanitizer and Savlon available for the member to disinfect herself after weighing. He or she was also encouraged to weigh wearing socks although I had a clean sheet of paper towel on scale after wiping the scale and weighing the next member. In my Winterton group, I wiped the scale and replaced the paper in excess of 33 times !
My scale at the Weigh-Less groups
Needless to say, we're not running these groups at venues now. I am still running my groups, quite most successfully; more about that in a later post, if you're interested.
After Lockdown I had to venture into town on the 30th to cash my pension at the ATM. I left early and arrived at the pay point with only a few people in the queue. However, not one was practicing social distancing. And when they saw me emerge from my car wearing a mask and surgical gloves and a spray of santizer in my hand, they all stared. Some even pointed and laughed.
Full arsenal against the enemy!
Keep safe and well.
