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| Courtesy Zapiro Click to enlarge |
President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation this evening – Tuesday, 21 April 2020 – on additional economic and social relief measures that form part of the national response to the global health crisis.
The President’s address flows from recent deliberations at Cabinet, the National Coronavirus Command Council, the President’s Coordinating Council, and the National Economic Development and Labour Council, among others. The speech will be broadcast on radio and television and will be streamed live.Later in the day, readers were prepped, again:
The Presidency will in the course of the day announce the time for the President’s address.7:30 pm ...and still no schedule for the annoucement.
As an American (and a control freak), this apparent lack of attention to detail is disorienting - and provokes impatience. (Isn't an announcement of some sort in order?)
As a South African I know something will happen sometime….
I console myself imagining the monumental arm wrestling, deal-making, and all-out-war going on behind the scenes. Let’s hope Ramaphosa prevails over the Zuma-istas.
His failure to do so doesn’t bear thinking about ….
Early to rise, early to bed; I fell asleep waiting.
Early this morning, I listened to President Ramaphosa addresses Nation on additional COVID-19 measures (23 mins. It aired at 9:00pm-ish).
Summary: Coronavirus budget is ZAR500 billion. Read details.
Make donations if, where, and how you can….
I cannot guarantee these organizations but... (Currency conversion: US$1.00 = ZAR18.50)
- eMedia Covid 19 Relief Fund
- Angels' Care (feeding and teaching children)
- Action in Isolation (feeding and teaching children)
- Love Howick (supporting and teaching skills)
- African Spirit (food and veggies)
***
US media outlets appear unable to stop Donald Trumps using their media platforms to campaign for reelection. I'm cutting back on harping about his terrible performance. Even his friends criticise him now. Here's Piers Morgan on US television agreeming that The Donald (and Boris Johnson) woefully fail at leadership in a time of crisis.The Donald ain’t gonna like it. Since Trump cannot take an iota of criticism – including the trying-to-be-kind kind – Piers Morgan can bid goodbye to that friendship.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch…
Big day out yesterday: grocery shopping.First stop, the store whose goods I prefer. It’s further from the house and, after lockdown, driving there offered exhilarating adventure. Free at last! Free at last!
Traffic was light, no roadblocks, less than a quarter of the store’s parking lot occupied.
The usual spritz of disinfectant upon entering the store, a handful of steri-wipes to disinfect hands and shopping cart handles. Well-stocked produce section, well-stocked shelves. Alas, no fruitcake in the bakery – “tomorrow” the baker promised. I'd be nuts to return tomorrow just for fruitcake, so I’ll do without.
As I made my way to my car carrying my bag of groceries, a tired-looking man propped against a barrier asked for money. I had no cash and told him so. His look of dejection was such that I dug into my mother’s purse and handed him some of her cash. He thanked me and explained that, if it was just him, he’d be okay, but he had kids to feed and “that makes life very hard.”
I don’t know if his story is true or if that's his hustle. Nor do I care. A pandemic is not the time to interrogate a person in need before handing over a sum of money that barely covers a meal and a drink.
Next stop, the store whose goods my mother prefers.
I chatted with the checkout clerk, asked how she was doing. “It’s hard,” she said.
I never learned her name but she shared that she lives in crowded Mpophemeni Township where “many, many people have lost their jobs.” She knew of “no sickness [from the virus but] many people are hungry because they have no money to buy food.”
As we agreed “the president was doing a good job,” we locked eyes - and teared up.
“It will get better,” I said. She agreed.
Then she went on to check out the next customer while I went off to my life, through a security gate and into a house with garden – and lawns - behind a security fence.
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