Guest contributors
These are some of the experiences shared with us:
| lan Tebogo Mashale My lockdown life was more characterised by my community members needing help from their different organisations/companies. Just before the start of the 21-day lockdown, the general manager of our mine in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, announced that fixed-term employees would not be required to return after the lockdown. They had been on monthly contracts for the past two years. He sent out SMSes informing them that he would not be renewing their contracts. During lockdown, operations continued as per normal at the mine, and when employees tried to investigate, we were told the goverment gave them a special licence to operate during lockdown. |
| Banele Mlambo, a first year student at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It is very hard to cope with a lockdown situation if you are living in a rural area like me. The South African army ends up disrespecting the rights of the people. They are not meant to be there for harassing people, but to protect people from the pandemic. We believe that it will pass, but the army should stop harassing people. Thank you |
| Malehlohonolo Malema Lockdown has been nothing but stressful, especially with the lack of food as my household of three depends on one child support grant. My application to the Gauteng Provincial Government for relief, by email, has yielded no results. I applied before the extension, and I’m frustrated and my children are hungry. My community in Soshanguve Block K seem to be in the same predicament as me because they venture out in the streets in an effort to get piece jobs to sustain themselves and their families. |
