South Africa is in its sixth day of a 21-day lockdown, an urgent measure taken by the government to fight the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
COVID-19: Is South Africa flattening the curve?
On Tuesday, the country’s health department confirmed that the number of COVID-19 infections has risen to 1 353 with five deaths.
While the concern for the rise in infections is warranted, it is important to note that the rate of daily infections has dropped dramatically.
This could mean one of two things:
- there is a delay in data collection since there have only been 41 072 tests conducted; or
- the nationwide lockdown has already started impacting the spread of COVID-19.
Mary Oppenheimer and daughters’ generous donation
The government will appreciate the gesture made by Mary Oppenheimer, daughter of renowned mining magnate Harry Oppenheimer.
A statement was released by Oppenheimer and her daughters, announcing the donation of R1-billion towards the Solidarity Fund.
“We are grateful for all the other efforts, small and large, that South Africans are making to help our country through this difficult time. We are especially proud of my brother Nicky and his family’s patriotism in launching a separate initiative, The South African Future Trust (SAFT) last week,” the statement read.
Life in lockdown: How are Southies spending Day Six?
Back at home, South Africans have come to terms with the reality of the next 15 days.
While the boredom has been surreal (insert appropriate meme), people have been creative with ways to stay entertained.
Cassper Nyovest has launched a ‘Stay at Home’ FIFA 20 league, challenging celebrities to online matches that are broadcast live on Twitch.
Last night, he got washed by Grammy-nominated comedian Trevor Noah. Sorry, Mufasa.
Other celebrities have also used their platforms to offer stay-at-home entertainment. Nadia Nakai stepped up for the ladies and hosted a live rap concert on her YouTube channel.
Somizi and Connie Ferguson have also been courteous enough to share their home workout routines on Instagram Live.
So, what are regular South African folks making use of their time in isolation? Well, we picked a few scenarios from social media for you to see for yourself.