I have been reluctant to “pen down” what impact Coronavirus (COVID19) has had on our daily lives here in Southern Africa. And the reason is simple. There is simply too much that already has been written on this subject matter to a point of saturating the space and creating COVID19 fatigue scenario. For the past four months, I’ve been following news of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) incredibly closely. Most importantly, my thoughts are with all those affected, be it directly or indirectly.
Coronavirus (COVID19) simply captured all space on social and electronic media! Even a child learning how to talk practiced speech construction on the word Coronavirus. After some self introspection and considering that I am a part of the global travel community and for that matter a travel business owner myself. I felt compelled and duty bound to inform my dear readers what is pertaining on the ground here in Southern Africa in the New Normal dispensation post COVID19. This is more imperative considering that Southern Africa and Zambia in particular is one of the Top Tourism Destination of the world.
From the onset of the Coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic, we in Southern Africa took a somewhat uninterested and remote relaxed posture. We viewed Coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic as a disease only affecting those in first worlds such as America, EU, Australia and Asia especially China. In our minds, we never ever envisioned that Coronavirus would ever touch our borders and shores. For the first time, we thought, GOD had spared us Africans from being afflicted with this strange disease for the affluent people only. After all, we have had our fair share of numerous diseases in the past from Ebola in Congo-DRC to HIV/AIDS in the greater sub-Sahara Africa, we thought. To compound the situation, there was this fake myth that was making rounds that a black person cannot be infected with Coronavirus due to his dark skin color pigmentation. Alas! we were fooling ourselves and living in a fool’s paradise.
Our international borders, airports and harbours were all left unsecured when most of our friends in other countries overseas had already shut theirs. Our regional hub big brother country South Africa (SA) was still playing politics with the disease. SA embarked on a meticulous PR denial exercise claiming that there were no known COVID19 cases in that country. Meanwhile, some of our African compatriots on holiday overseas in countries already infected by COVID19 were already in the skies returning home to Southern Africa. Unfortunately, many of them had already been infected with the Coronavirus. They entered our countries medically unchecked and freely mixed with the rest of the population. This was the beginning of trouble for most of the Southern Africa countries. Before we knew it, the numbers of those already infected by Coronavirus in each country had already spiraled out of control.
In panic, most Southern Africa governments instituted “copy and paste” mitigation measures from developed countries. In some instances, they took some excessively extreme measures not consumerate with any empirical research data, tampering with lives of the most vulnerable members of our society. South Africa went into a 21 Day lockdown, compelling all citizens to stay home. Other countries followed suit with the exception of Zambia which did not effect any lock down measures but other suitable measures. All tourism and hospitality businesses including national parks where ordered to close their doors to customers. These businesses in turn sent most of their work force on forced leave without pay, and a situation still pertaining todate. These tourism and hospitality industry employing a large number of our young people and women dealt a big blow to the health status of the labour market. Now many of the youths and women are still home without any form of income to support their families.
Most Tourism businesses in Southern Africa are currently closed
The New Normal Dispensation – Post COVID19
All the above narrative is now water under the bridge. Coronavirus (COVID19) here in Southern Africa has not only destroyed the tourism and hospitality industry that employs many people but our lives as well. With our fragile state of our national economies, WE NEED URGENT ASSISTANCE from any quarter.
What will kill many of us here in Southern Africa is not Coronavirus, but HUNGER will. The reality of the New Normal dispensation post COVID is an extremely harsh and painful life experience for most people especially here in Zambia. With most tourism and hospitality businesses still closed and not knowing what the future entails for most of us. We need international help to survive post COVID19. With no Post COVID19 Relief Fund or any type of social safety grants or economic stimulus packages in place in most Southern African countries except South Africa and Botswana, simply put; we are in deep trouble. Most of us Africans are highly resilient people able to navigate around most problems. But the aftermath of Coronavirus pandemic is in a different class of ”Tsunami” problems of its own. With poverty levels already peaking in our communities, our future lives are VERY bleak and helpless! This time around, only the very fittest will survive. The New Normal Dispensation – Post COVID19 in Southern Africa is extreme HUNGER and Poverty. We need help urgently in any form from any source before we perish.
1 Comment
nice post