In Africa, the jury is still out on the tradeoff between Covid-19 lockdowns and livelihoods. 



Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, many African governments swiftly implemented broad containment and lockdown measures that helped save many lives but which came at a great cost to economic activity and livelihoods.&nbsp;



This is one of the key conclusions of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) African Economic Outlook (AEO) 2021 report, released on March 12, which critically assesses the costs and benefits of lockdowns. African countries that imposed stringent lockdowns reported lower Covid-19 infection rates, the report finds, after controlling for the use of public information campaigns, testing, and contact tracing policies as well as recurrent shocks that are common across countries, such as weather-related shocks (such as droughts and flooding).



Lockdowns have curbed disease spread in Africa, but less effectively than elsewhere



African countries have been proactive in their responses, taking preventive measures as soon as confirmed Covid-19 cases were reported. Half of African countries with available data restricted international travel through arrival screening, quarantines, bans on arrivals from some or all regions, and even total border closures one day after the first Covid-19 case was detected.&nbsp;



The report indicates that closures of schools, public transport systems, and workplaces, as well as curfews and cancellations of public events, proved more effective in curbing Covid-19 infections than prohibitions on private gatherings and bans on domestic and international travel.



Lockdowns had a more pronounced impact in other regions than across Africa, which saw only modest reductions of about 0.1% in infection cases per thousand after one month, and of about 1% after 60 days. By comparison, using the same approach and data, IMF data from 15 G20 countries found that after a month of lockdowns, Covid-19 cases fell by an estimated 40%.&nbsp;



Why? One explanation is that a significant majority of Africans are engaged in informal activities that do not permit working from home. These informal workers – who are paid daily or weekly, rarely have savings, and lack access to bank loans – are more likely to defy official lockdown measures to safeguard their livelihoods. &nbsp;



The result is that, despite their best efforts, African governments have been unable to impose lockdowns as stringent as those in industrialized nations, where remote working is feasible for a larger share of the population. &nbsp;



Stringent lockdown measures are associated with significant economic contraction, the report finds. In particular, when the index of lockdown stringency increased by one unit, GDP and the industrial production index decreased on average by respectively 0.59% and 0.29% during the first half of 2020 – when the outbreak peaked in Africa – versus the same period in 2019.&nbsp;



A tricky tradeoff?



The pandemic seems to present African countries with a tricky trade-off between saving lives, on the one hand, and protecting economic activity and livelihoods on the other. But this framing is misleading. African countries can successfully pursue both objectives by imposing lockdowns while taking measures to limit the effects of those lockdowns on people’s livelihoods, especially the poor, and on businesses. Finding the right balance between these two aims is crucial.&nbsp;



The AEO recommends a number of policies that could be implemented. For instance, where there is fiscal space or sufficient liquidity, policymakers should maintain fiscal and monetary support to vulnerable people and businesses to enable them to stay afloat. In other countries, international grants and concessional loans can be deployed instead, so long as debt sustainability levels are not exceeded.&nbsp;



Expanding social safety nets to include informal sector workers can protect the vulnerable from falling into extreme poverty. By taking advantage of increased digitalization and mobile money services, governments can provide relief to informal workers quickly and at reduced cost. Lastly, public information campaigns are crucial to securing the population’s buy-in and boosting the effectiveness of anti-pandemic measures. &nbsp;



As the rollout of vaccines slowly proceeds, the AfDB will support countries in implementing the AEO’s policy recommendations. That way, Africa can simultaneously save lives and protect livelihoods.



– By Dr Hanan Morsy and Dr Adamon Mukasa; Morsy is the Director of the Macroeconomic Policy, Forecasting and Research Department at the African Development Bank, and Mukasa is Senior Research Economist in the same department.

DRCONGO-HEALTH-VIRUS-EDUCATION

How Effective Are Lockdowns In Africa?

Topline: With declining Covid-19 hospital admissions and deaths, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke on Sunday evening to announce the country’s move from Lockdown Alert Level 3 directly to Alert Level 1 and some crucial changes to public restrictions.



Key Facts



<ul><li>Friday, March 5, will mark one year since the first case of coronavirus was reported in South Africa. This comes just as the country has hit over 1.5 million cases and nearly 50, 000 people have died from the fatal virus.&nbsp;</li><li>“So much has changed in our country and our lives. But the spirit of our people has not changed. You have endured the greatest hardships, but you have remained resolute, united, and hopeful,” Ramaphosa said on Sunday evening.</li><li>The president further noted the “dramatic decline” in infection rates recently, thus the decision of the government to reduce the lockdown level to one.&nbsp;</li><li>Moreover, admissions to hospital and deaths “have fallen significantly and continue to decline steadily”. In the week that has just passed, the country recorded just under 10,000 new infections. Ramaphosa believes that the decline is due to a combination of public health measures, changes in social behavior and accumulating immunity in those who became infected in the communities.</li></ul>



Crucial Changes In Restrictions



<ul><li>The hours of the curfew will now be from midnight until 4AM.</li><li>Gatherings will be permitted, subject to limitations on size. These include religious, social, political, and cultural gatherings. However, the maximum number of people allowed at any gathering is 100 people indoors and 250 outdoors. Furthermore, night vigils and nightclubs are still not permitted.&nbsp;</li><li>The sale of alcohol is now allowed as normal however not during the hours of curfew.&nbsp;</li><li>The 33 land border posts that have been closed throughout this period will remain closed, while the other 20 will remain open. Only five airports, OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka, Kruger Mpumalanga, and Lanseria airports, will be open for international travel.&nbsp;</li></ul>



Crucial Quote



“This pandemic has taken much from us, but it has not taken our strength, our courage, or our sense of solidarity as a people,” Ramaphosa said. “It has not dampened our spirit or weakened our resolve. Our uniquely South African spirit has allowed us to remain steadfast in the face of an unprecedented threat, and which will continue to inspire us as we chart a path to recovery.”

SAFRICA-HEALTH-VIRUS

A Year With The Virus, South Africa Moves From Alert Level 3 to 1

TOPLINE In a bid to contain a more contagious strain of coronavirus that is spreading rapidly, Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed a new lockdown on England on Monday that will last until at least mid-February.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<ul><li>Coronavirus is again surging in the U.K. because of a new, more transmissible mutation of Covid-19 <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2020/12/23/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-englands-new-covid-19-variant/?sh=908bf27aeb3b">called</a> B.1.1.7.</li></ul>



<ul><li>The lockdown will close most non-essential businesses, and restaurants will be required to limit service to takeout orders—but outdoor playgrounds and houses of worship will stay <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielHewittITV/status/1346189520170070017?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">open</a> as long as social distancing is maintained.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Schools will be closed except to the children of essential workers and vulnerable students.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Residents may not leave their homes except for essential work, essential shopping, medical assistance, exercise, as well as meeting with <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/making-a-support-bubble-with-another-household" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">support</a> or <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/making-a-childcare-bubble-with-another-household" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">childcare</a> “bubbles,” which are pairs of households allowed to mix under certain circumstances.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Johnson’s announcement comes after Scotland <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-55531069" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">imposed</a> a similar lockdown earlier Monday.</li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



“There’s no doubt in that fighting the old variant to the virus, our collective efforts were working and would have continued to work. But we now have a new variant, and it’s been both frustrating and alarming to see the speed with which the new variant is spreading,” Johnson said.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



The number of patients in hospitals has increased by nearly a third in the last week, Johnson said, and the number of deaths has increased 20%. Though there isn’t any evidence the U.K. mutation is more deadly than previous strains, early research has suggested it’s 75% more contagious, making the virus harder to control even as England begins to vaccinate its population.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h4>



40%. That’s how many more patients are in hospitals now compared to the first peak earlier this year, Johnson said.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h4>



Unlike the previous lockdown, takeaway alcohol is banned this time around.



&#8211;By Rachel Sandler, Forbes Staff

Boris Johnson Announces Third National Coronavirus Lockdown

England Will Go Into National Lockdown Amid Covid-19 Surge

<p id="h-toplineas-a-dangerous-resurgence-of-the-coronavirus-spreads-across-the-country-state-leaders-are-reimposing-restrictions-on-daily-life-but-one-measure-curfews-are-coming-under-increasing-scrutiny-from-some-public-health-experts-who-say-they-won-t-be-effective-in-actually-combating-covid-19">TOPLINE: As a dangerous resurgence of the coronavirus spreads across the country, state leaders are reimposing restrictions on daily life, but one measure, curfews, are coming under increasing scrutiny from some public health experts who say they won’t be effective in actually combating Covid-19.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



A number of cities and states—including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2020/11/19/california-issues-covid-19-curfew-for-most-counties/?sh=76e7f0b3474e">California</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/11/06/massachusetts-covid-curfew-may-not-have-big-case-impact-experts-say/6183084002/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Massachusetts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/11/11/new-york-imposes-curfew-new-restrictions-to-slow-covid-spike/">New York</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://v/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ohio</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-newark-ras-baraka-coronavirus-pandemic-new-jersey-e920f70ebda5a7007c8fa4f135dec539" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newark</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.miamidade.gov/global/news-item.page?Mduid_news=news1590901593044688" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miami-Dade</a>—have adopted curfews in recent days in an effort to stop late-night activity, especially at restaurants and bars.



Data on whether curfews actually work is scarce, and public health experts are mixed on whether they will actually have any impact.&nbsp;



John Swartzberg, a clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases at UC Berkeley, told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;they send a powerful message to the public and impact “people eating/drinking after 10:00 p.m.,” who, as a group, are “less likely to be taking precautions against becoming infected and infecting others.”



But Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, is skeptical people will actually comply, and will instead meet in private gatherings inside homes if restaurants and bars are closed, an activity he suspects is spreading the virus even more than gathering in public areas.



Adalja said there isn’t contact tracing data showing that people behave differently depending on the time of night, and noted the virus doesn’t spread any more or less after 10 p.m. either.



William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/11/06/massachusetts-covid-curfew-may-not-have-big-case-impact-experts-say/6183084002/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;USA Today&nbsp;that “curtailing the evening for dining by an hour or so isn&#8217;t likely to make a very large impact,” and Lee Riley, an infectious disease specialist at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capradio.org/articles/2020/11/20/can-californias-curfew-slow-the-spread-of-covid-19-we-asked-an-infectious-disease-specialist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;CapRadio curfews will likely “have more of a cosmetic effect than a real impact.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h3>



“I’m not even sure what this was designed to do and I don’t suspect they’re going to see any major benefit from it,” Adalja told&nbsp;Forbes. “And then they’re going to say that it failed and we have to do something more strong rather than understanding from contact tracing data how people are getting infected and what they can do to make that less likely. . . . If it’s people getting infected at private gatherings you need a totally different strategy because public health can’t really reach into people’s homes.”



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



A dangerous third resurgence of the coronavirus is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/11/20/more-than-2000-people-died-of-covid-19-in-the-us-on-thursday-with-around-80000-now-hospitalized/?sh=1e365375123d">spreading</a>&nbsp;across the country, overwhelming healthcare systems in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.miamidade.gov/global/news-item.page?Mduid_news=news1590901593044688" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">several</a>&nbsp;states. Curfews are just one restriction state and local leaders are imposing in an effort to stem the spread of the virus. Los Angeles has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-restrictions-los-angeles-county-indoor-dining/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">banned</a>&nbsp;in-person dining altogether. New York&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/11/18/new-york-city-to-close-public-schools-again/?sh=862878a214ad">closed</a>&nbsp;schools. Others are putting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/09/17/state-by-state-reopening-guidelines-coronavirus/?sh=72d03e9d533b">limits</a>&nbsp;on social gatherings. Some Republicans are taking the opposite approach, however, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/23/21591366/foxconn-wisconsin-google-server-component-assembly-contract-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">promising</a>&nbsp;not to shut down parts of the economy.



-by Rachel Sandler, Forbes Staff

People wearing face masks as a preventive measure against

Will Covid-19 Curfews Work? Public Health Experts Unsure Of Potential Impact

Covid-19 has left many businesses in disarray. But not OneCart, South Africa’s on-demand grocery delivery service that rewarded its founders Lynton Peters and Ariel Navarro with record growth.



“What was in that first order when we started, do you remember, Ari?” Lynton Peters, the CEO of OneCart, asks his co-founder and COO, Ariel Navarro.&nbsp;



“Probably water and bananas,” Navarro laughs.&nbsp;



“What are people buying now?” Peters asked again.&nbsp;



“Everything!” Navarro laughs again.&nbsp;



When South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, declared the National State of Disaster on March 15 and imposed a strict Level 5 lockdown on March 27, this prohibited large public gatherings, local and international travel, and schools and universities from continuing in-person classes.&nbsp;



The ides of March brought with it fear, frenzy and public panic as South Africans flocked to their local supermarkets to stock up on essentials such as toilet paper, soap, cleaning agents, non-perishables, disinfectants and sanitizers. &nbsp;



This is when OneCart went from serving about 150-250 shoppers a day to almost 10 times that number today.&nbsp;



“I think what worked in our favor was that consumers were more willing to or wanted to stay at home. So what we saw was obviously a greater adoption of our product in terms of growth. What we saw was, in essence, about 500% growth during Covid, so it was quite significant,” says Peters.&nbsp;



The on-demand grocery delivery platform allows consumers to shop from multiple stores in a “single cart”, hence OneCart. So instead of having to walk across the entire shopping center where perhaps food retailer Woolworths could be located on one end and Pick n’ Pay on the other, OneCart gives you a “virtual mall” experience on your single device. Groceries are then delivered to consumers within two hours or at a time preferred by them.



“I think the inspiration behind building OneCart and founding OneCart was just to create a way for consumers to shop online the way they would usually shop offline when they&#8217;re at a mall,” Peters explains.



The unprecedented outbreak of the coronavirus has brought on-demand grocery service platforms like OneCart to the forefront, according to an international report by Future Market Insights (FMI) released in June. More new consumers are converting to online shopping for buying provisions rather than risk standing in a supermarket queue. This is the reason OneCart has seen a massive surge on its platform in the past few months. 



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:31% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48799" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lynton-Peters-CEO-OneCart-scaled.jpg 1706w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“There is also the fact that in 2018 we only did 30 orders in an entire month and now we have 30,000 orders a month.” – Lynton Peters  </blockquote>
</div></div>



But this exceptional growth does not come without its pain points, and founders Peters, 34, and Navarro, 31, know that. February, March, and April of this year have been the toughest months the company has experienced since their inception in 2016. Like many businesses ploughing through the pandemic, they were forced to look at how OneCart could operate while still keeping employees, employers and consumers safe.&nbsp;



Realizing there is indeed an opportunity for OneCart to succeed, especially since consumers did not want to find themselves at shopping centers, it fell on Peters and Navarro to quickly understand the demand and heightened traffic on the website and application. And with the increase in usage, this then involved the company to expand its operations.



“We doubled the number of collection locations we were in, we almost tripled the staff complement. We were definitely oversupplied in a few areas in order to catch up with the backlog that we had hit. So, there were a lot of challenges we faced during that time,” recalls Navarro.&nbsp;



But this operation did not just happen overnight.



After having over 10 years of experience in the corporate world as an electronic engineer in the software and electronics industry, and later as an innovation consultant both locally and in Singapore, Peters decided in 2016 to do market research for OneCart in Johannesburg to test the validity of the concept. While in Morningside, a commercial and residential suburb in Sandton, the business hub of Johannesburg, Peters was met with owners from multiple retail stores, one of them being Mr. Pet (an upmarket retail store which sells food and accessories for pets). Mr. Pet turned out to be a business owned by Navarro’s father.  



“I expected this older guy to come out and instead this young guy comes out,” Peters laughs with Navarro as he recalls the memory of their first meeting. “And when he came in, we started talking about tech and innovation. And I guess we just started talking about our backgrounds. And I was involved in the entrepreneur ecosystem before I was transitioning from corporate at the time. And I guess we just kept on chatting and probably like speaking for about six months before finally deciding to come together.”&nbsp;



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:auto 38%"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48800" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ariel-Navarro-COO-OneCart-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“The only way to really understand how the systems work was to get there and actually do everything from the ground up. So there was no, you know, fancy apps like we have today that did everything for us.” – Ariel Navarro </blockquote>
</div></div>



Back then, like any startup, the hard work started with Navarro and Peters running around and doing everything, which included taking orders on WhatsApp (as they did not have an app as yet), buying the actual products, and delivering them to the consumer.&nbsp;



“The only way to really understand how the systems work was to get there and actually do everything from the ground up. So there was no, you know, fancy apps like we have today that did everything for us,” Navarro says.&nbsp;



“When we started the business, it was just literally Ari and myself running everything. So the only person that we could hire was a shopper and we did that in December 2017,” Peters explains. “I remember there was a point where we were physically doing all the shopping and delivering or ordering. We literally had to do everything.”



“I remember with those first few orders, but it was almost like there was a panic in the air when there was an order because it was so new that we just wanted to get that one order right. And you are so nervous when you see the order come in, you&#8217;re like excited but nervous,” says Navarro.



In the early days of OneCart, consumers were limited to just Johannesburg which presumably could have taken a large toll on the actual company as operations were also limited. Now, most of OneCart’s consumers, ranging from a wide variety of ages, are largely based in four of South Africa’s most popular cities: Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban. And though they do not deliver in the townships or informal settlements, Peters has said this is something they do plan on expanding to. 



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OneCart-Shopper-682x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48797" width="260" height="389" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OneCart-Shopper-682x1024.jpg 682w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OneCart-Shopper-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OneCart-Shopper-768x1153.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OneCart-Shopper-1023x1536.jpg 1023w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OneCart-Shopper-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OneCart-Shopper-600x901.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/OneCart-Shopper.jpg 1154w" sizes="(max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px" /><figcaption>OneCart shopper</figcaption></figure></div>



A lot has changed since the on-demand grocery delivery platform officially launched in 2018. For one, they have over 200 personal ‘shoppers’ and over 100 drivers.&nbsp;



“There is also the fact that in 2018, we only did 30 orders in an entire month and now we have 30,000 orders a month,” Peters says.&nbsp;



Ahead of the March lockdown, the duo noted a huge increase in consumers stockpiling even though they were prohibited to do so by South African Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel on March 19, when he announced regulations to control the pricing of goods after noting price hikes implemented by retailers.



“Today, we issue directions under the Disaster Management Act and regulations under both the Competition Act and Consumer Protection Act, dealing with pricing and supply matters during the national disaster to ensure we do not have unjustified price hikes or stockpiling of goods,” said Patel.



“People would initially buy in bulk, trying to stockpile out your essential items like toilet paper, which was quite a significant one. The stores were running out of that one. But then we had to get to a point where we had to limit the number of items in a basket. And now, I think the trend is sort of normalizing again,” Peters says.&nbsp;



Though the company has experienced difficulties, there are “war stories” beyond Covid-19 that have motivated them to not give up. The one that comes to mind is in 2019 when they had run out of funds and were forced to take out a loan in order to pay their staff. Another one would be during Covid-19 when they had sleepless nights for three months as they had to think of how they would expand operations while keeping every one of their staff members safe.&nbsp;



“We have had many instances where we should have given up but we persisted. If we think of war stories we also think about the times where we didn’t give up because we believed in ourselves,” Peters says.&nbsp;

OneCart Founders Peters (left) Navarro (right)

The 500% Leap From Store to Door

As South Africa enters Alert Level 2 of the lockdown today, with the ban on alcohol and tobacco products lifted, the country’s restaurants, bars and taverns are hoping for a new lease of life. Liqour stores across the country witnessed snaking queues today. In this picture, taken in the morning, consumers wait in line outside Makro in the Crown Mines area, to buy alcohol in bulk. Some of them arrived in the early hours even before the shops opened.

IMG_8530

The True Spirit Of Level 2

South African tattoo artist Sibusiso Cele on how he has been leaving an impression despite the pandemic.



‘Stay home, avoid contact’ is the prevailing motto of our times.



But, as it appears, not for South African freelance tattoo artist Sibusiso Cele, who has actually been receiving more requests for home visits at this time.



Tattoo art is hugely popular in Johannesburg, and since the reopening of tattoo parlors in level 3 of the national lockdown, artists admit to increased interest in people wanting to get themselves inked, some even reportedly wanting to capture the historic pandemic with a tattoo. &nbsp;&nbsp;



“Personally, the lockdown has worked out in my favor in so many ways,” says Cele.



Known as ‘Inkboy Que’, Cele, now 24, was born in Johannesburg and raised in the Umlazi township in Durban, a coastal city in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, by his aunt who has been his greatest support. His older brother, Simphiwe, taught him to draw from a young age.



“Simphiwe played a huge role in the manifestation of my career. It is unfortunate that Simphiwe is now late and he can’t see my exceptional work thus far. Eventually, I put my all into drawing, to a point where I drew everything and anything in school; it was a passion,” recalls Cele.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">&#8220;I already had a face tattoo and the corporate world regarded it as being unprofessional to have any visible tattoos.&#8221;</blockquote>



In 2013, with a good friend, Cele invested in his first tattoo kit. He traveled locally tattooing but worked mainly from his backroom at home in Umlazi. At the time, his family didn’t consider tattoo art a career, but he persisted.



“In 2015, I was admitted into Durban City College for an engineering course. It was an amazing opportunity to further my studies, however, it was affecting the family financially, also, I already had a face tattoo and the corporate world regarded it as being unprofessional to have any visible tattoos.&nbsp;That was more of a reason not to pursue that career, [so] during the third semester, I dropped out. Above everything at that time, I had invested so much into doing tattoos and the name ‘Inkboy’ was born,” says Cele.



Shortly after that, he moved to Mpumalanga where he had already created a clientele.&nbsp;In 2018, he joined the Soweto Ink family that helped mould his craft until early this year when he officially became an independent tattoo artist and traveled widely across provinces.



But with the coronavirus pandemic and South Africa closing borders and businesses, including tattoo parlors, and the country going into lockdown, Cele had to slow down on the travel. But that didn’t stop him from seeking opportunities locally.



“Firstly, I have financial control, I take my own decisions, and I am comfortable. Normally, I see one or two clients a day because of the traveling and setting up,” he says.



Before the lockdown, Cele mostly traveled to Durban and Mpumalanga, from his home in Johannesburg. His daily travel expenses to clients start at R900. But clients are considerate enough to meet him half-way; besides that, his tattooing rates start at R300, depending on size and detailing.



Cele says getting himself tested for Covid-19 is a big priority for him.



“I do it regularly. Actually, the last time I was tested was a few days ago and because my clients are mostly artists, their profession requires them to get tested too. Besides, I make sure I always wear my PPE for extra safety,” he says.



Since branching out on his own, Cele has been seeing professional growth and has worked with socialites and celebrities in the entertainment industry such as South African musicians ‘DJ Tira’ and Naak MusiQ among others.



Cele says he has learned a lot from the business and his art.



“I wouldn’t say I am making a lot of money but I am getting the hang of being financially stable and it comes with all the responsibility, but it’s a good thing, I’m getting used to this,” he smiles.



Clearly, leaving an impression is his specialty.

Sibusisi Cele InkBoy

Ink Is In: Tattoos In The Time Of Covid

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation announcing that the government will further ease the country&#8217;s lockdown restrictions.



Restaurants, beauty salons, cinemas are among the businesses that will be allowed to operate again in South Africa.



The country is still on lockdown ‘Level 3’ of the government&#8217;s “risk adjusted strategy”.



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">South Africa remains at lockdown level 3, but additional sectors of our economy will now be allowed to reopen – as long as strict measures are in place to ensure physical distancing &amp; personal hygiene. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/lyNAqCUOdv">pic.twitter.com/lyNAqCUOdv</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273319508019724288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Containing COVID-19 is our collective responsibility. As we cautiously ease lockdown restrictions, it is vital that South Africans remain engaged, co-operate with others &amp; observe the regulations in place to protect public health. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/aVP2gHUiSv">pic.twitter.com/aVP2gHUiSv</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273321633491628033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">As more sectors of our economy reopen, our continued success in curbing the rate of COVID-19 infections depends on responsible behaviour. Social distancing, the use of masks &amp; certain restrictions on movement must remain part of our daily lives. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rh9u5Btjhd">pic.twitter.com/Rh9u5Btjhd</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273321971607113728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Restrictions on most public gatherings will remain in place at this stage of the lockdown to protect the community and reduce the spread of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> infection. <a href="https://t.co/FZ59w3TdGn">pic.twitter.com/FZ59w3TdGn</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273322726464372736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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President Ramaphosa also spoke on the gender based violence in the country. 



&#8220;It is with the heaviest of hearts that I stand before the women and the girls of South Africa this evening to talk about another pandemic that is raging in our country. The killing of women and children by the men of our country. As a man, as a husband, and as a father to daughters, I am appalled at what is no less than a war that is being waged against the women and the children of our country,&#8221; says Ramaphosa. 



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">President <a href="https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyrilRamaphosa</a> is addressing South Africans tonight as our country continues to fight the coronavirus. A critical focus for government at this time is on our effort to protect girls &amp; women from sexual &amp; gender-based violence during this outbreak. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/P48Pcz0R6H">pic.twitter.com/P48Pcz0R6H</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273323699236732931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Watch below:



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">President <a href="https://twitter.com/CyrilRamaphosa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyrilRamaphosa</a> addresses the nation on South Africa&#39;s risk-adjusted strategy to managing the spread of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronaVirusSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronaVirusSA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Level3?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Level3</a> <a href="https://t.co/W8sAT1Z4f0">https://t.co/W8sAT1Z4f0</a>&mdash; Presidency | South Africa 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresidencyZA/status/1273314734071111680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Ramaphosa new

Covid-19: Restaurants, Beauty Salons, Cinemas Among Businesses That Will Operate Again In South Africa As Ramaphosa Announces Eased Lockdown Restrictions

Kenya is perhaps one of the quieter domains of the global Covid-19 pandemic. However, as its hold intensifies across the country, Kenyans, from all walks of life, have found themselves not only preparing for the worst but also taking stock of the impact it has already had on their lives. 



By his own admission, Musa Esevwe, a 49-year-old sculptor and entrepreneur, had never, in his life, experienced trouble with his sleep. That is until Covid-19 arrived in his hometown, Nairobi, in mid-March.



Within the space of a week, a national curfew was announced via Presidential address. Not long after, as confirmed cases jumped to 91, a partial lockdown was imposed around the Nairobi Metropolitan Area, restricting the movement of people in to, and out of, the city.



Travel was tightly regulated and international flights temporarily suspended. The few who do manage to make it to the country, by road or sea, must endure a mandatory two-week quarantine, at the border, before they can obtain official approval to proceed to their final destination.



Meanwhile, inside Kenya’s borders, lives changed overnight. Intensive lockdown measures severely hampered trading for both informal vendors and businesses, causing upheaval in some areas. In April, small business owners clashed with police over the forced closure of their establishments, in Nyeri, a busy provincial hub in Central Kenya.



Schools have been shut since March and, while official numbers are yet to be published, thousands have lost their jobs and livelihoods. Those, still fortunate to be in employment, have had to transform their homes into offices.



“It is like a very bad dream that we are living in now. The happiness and security we once had has gone&#8230; we are no longer dreaming, even for those who can still sleep,” says Esevwe whose own business, which was heavily dependent on the disposable income of the middle class and occasional tourists, has been destroyed by the pandemic.



Along with Esevwe, among the hardest hit are the nation’s families, who, for months now, have been confined to their houses.



The lockdown period has been particularly difficult for Kamweti wa Mutu, an international development professional and amateur nature photographer, living in Nairobi. Currently out of work, and with his wife, now the family’s sole breadwinner, stationed in Tanzania, he’s had to play multiple roles to keep his household afloat.



“The quarantine order [on March 13] was sudden, but commendably prompt, meaning it was a somewhat tough transition getting our two children; Charlie, 11, and Adia, 8, settled into home-schooling routines. After a week, we [had to] put our house-help on leave, with some pay, so as not to place [any] undue risk on either her or us,” he says.



Prior to the pandemic, Mutu was actively looking for work. However, the economic turmoil set off by the virus is now a cause for concern.



“I have struggled to find full-time employment for a while [now] but my family has been very supportive with understanding and prayers. The kids have a good grasp of this, in light of the pandemic, but it’s not [yet] getting them anxious. As a household currently on one income, this aspect is a grave one. Most worrisome is my wife losing her post [because of the pandemic], or worse, one of our family members falling ill,” he continues.



Perhaps the most traumatic impact of Covid-19 on the family is their separation. With travel into Kenya currently restricted, Mutu’s wife won’t be able to return until her consultancy with an environmental organization in Tanzania concludes.



When she does, it will probably have to be by road as international flights are suspended. After crossing the border, she’ll have to spend 14 days at a quarantine center, receiving a special permit to enter Nairobi only once she tests negative for the virus.



While this has added an extra layer of anxiety to their situation, the family is choosing to focus on the bigger picture, insists Mutu.



“We have talked a bit about this, and what it would mean for a normal life, even beyond the current situation. However, we have not delved deeply into worst-case scenarios other than how Covid-19 is devastating other families and societies. We have stocked up on enough essentials including non-perishable foodstuffs, water, face-masks, and power to last us a while.”



Elsewhere in the city, Sophie O, who asked that we change her name for this report, is also finding life under lockdown a challenge. The 30-year-old Marketing Manager works for a major multinational in Nairobi and is doing her best to adapt to the ‘new normal’ of being based from home.



“It&#8217;s been quite difficult especially because I have three children; a nine-month old, a two-year-old and a six-year-old. It’s been hard for the two-year-old to understand that I am ‘at work’, he keeps barging into [work] calls and expecting us to play. Now, I have to keep my camera off during conference calls although ideally, as a standard, it would have to be on,” she says.



With schools now closed, and most students across the country taking classes virtually, many parents, especially those with younger children, are burdened with the added responsibility of home-schooling. In this, Ms O admits that she is struggling.



“Personally, I’ve really done my best just keeping track with all the lessons they have to do. I think probably if I didn’t have to be ‘at work’, I could have done a better job in terms of being there for my daughter but it’s quite a challenge. You have to work because work pays the bills and work also pays the school fees,” she says.



Factors, firmly out of her control, are also impacting her productivity.



“The practicalities of working from home, like having a workstation, I have had to figure out. But with the internet&#8230; some days it’s good, some days it’s bad, and some days you have a blackout and there’s nothing you can do!” she laments.



The experience of both these families hints at the wider setbacks being faced by businesses and the Kenyan economy, as a whole. From Nairobi, Edwin Macharia, Global Managing Partner at multinational advisory firm, Dalberg Advisors, has been leading a fortnightly webinar series advising African leaders and policymakers on how best to respond to the ongoing crisis. He insists that they must appreciate the severity of the pandemic’s impact and act accordingly.



“Our job [on the webinar] is to make sure that [leaders] are sufficiently shaken and begin acting appropriately. China bought the world a couple of weeks to prepare and get ‘ahead of the curve’ in terms of intervention but, unfortunately, that jolt wasn’t hard enough in some places. This is very quickly moving from being a health concern to actually being an economic concern,” Macharia warned attendees in early April.



At the time, despite relatively low levels of confirmed cases, African economies were already feeling the pinch with stock markets plummeting and currencies devalued. A few weeks later, as the threat escalated, the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) declared that a funding gap of $100 billion needed to be filled in order for governments to battle the pandemic, and its consequences, across the continent.



“The long-term economic effects will become more apparent in the coming months. Inputs not available locally will be inaccessible due to tighter border controls, while markets, for producers serving several industries, will be diminished, leaving many households without a sustainable income,” predicts Macharia.



If they are to have any hope of success, Macharia emphasizes that responses to Covid-19 in Africa will have to be a collaborative effort.



<figure class="wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex"><ul class="blocks-gallery-grid"><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="890" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Edwin-Macharia-Global-Managing-Partner-at-Dalberg-Advisors-1024x890.jpg" alt="" data-id="46114" data-full-url="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Edwin-Macharia-Global-Managing-Partner-at-Dalberg-Advisors-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=46114" class="wp-image-46114" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Edwin-Macharia-Global-Managing-Partner-at-Dalberg-Advisors-1024x890.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Edwin-Macharia-Global-Managing-Partner-at-Dalberg-Advisors-scaled-300x261.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Edwin-Macharia-Global-Managing-Partner-at-Dalberg-Advisors-scaled-600x522.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Edwin-Macharia-Global-Managing-Partner-at-Dalberg-Advisors-768x668.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Edwin-Macharia-Global-Managing-Partner-at-Dalberg-Advisors-1536x1335.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Edwin-Macharia-Global-Managing-Partner-at-Dalberg-Advisors-2048x1781.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-item__caption">Edwin Macharia, Global Managing Partner at Dalberg Advisors</figcaption></figure></li></ul></figure>



“Flattening the curve demands that governments, institutions, and business leaders are intentional in how they implement their response strategies. Organizations will need to go beyond [their] usual business continuity planning while the public sector needs to re-model institutions in order to slow down the current trajectory of infections while ensuring long-term resilience.”



An example of these wider response strategies are already at work in a number of Kenyan hospitals. Dr Michael Mwachiro, Secretary-General at the Surgical Society of Kenya, is currently stationed at Tenwek Hospital, a faith-based teaching and referral hospital in Bomet County, 230 kilometers west of Nairobi. On May 13, the county recorded its first Covid-19 fatality, at Longisa Hospital, the only public referral hospital in the area.



<figure class="wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex"><ul class="blocks-gallery-grid"><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="335" height="502" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/thumbnail_PHOTO-2020-06-16-13-12-13.jpg" alt="" data-id="46121" data-full-url="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/thumbnail_PHOTO-2020-06-16-13-12-13.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/life/2020/06/15/covid-19-in-kenya-we-are-no-longer-dreaming/attachment/thumbnail_photo-2020-06-16-13-12-13/" class="wp-image-46121" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/thumbnail_PHOTO-2020-06-16-13-12-13.jpg 335w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/thumbnail_PHOTO-2020-06-16-13-12-13-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/thumbnail_PHOTO-2020-06-16-13-12-13-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px" /><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-item__caption">Dr Michael Mwachiro, Secretary-General at the Surgical Society of Kenya</figcaption></figure></li></ul></figure>



“We’re now seeing more community-transferred cases in Kenya. I think the advantage that we may have had [compared to] other parts of the world is that we were watching as things were unfolding and, because of that, we had a bit more time to prepare [as a country], and put some measures in place. But if you read the news, or listen to the radio, you’ll hear people complaining that we should have intervened earlier but that’s a difficult thing [to do] if you look at how many stakeholders are involved along with the nature of our economy and public health system,” he says.



Part of these preparations, Mwachiro says, included immediately training the country’s health workers on Covid-19 procedures along with introducing measures preventing the movement of people from hotspots in major cities into rural Kenya, where a bulk of the population lives.



“Nairobi and Mombasa already have containment measures in place. The bigger concern is that, if Covid-19 moves out of the cities to other parts of the country, the effects would be much scarier. These [rural] areas are where the older people are, who are much more vulnerable.”



In addition to the supplementary training for medical personnel, some elective procedures and non-essential surgeries have been put on hold so that all available resources can be committed to fighting the virus at hospitals. However, besides preparedness, maintaining the morale of doctors and nurses will continue to be an ongoing concern throughout the crisis.



“We’ll have to deal with the levels of anxiety and motivation experienced by healthcare workers and first responders taking care of these patients. Doctors and nurses are human, too, and they are experiencing the same emotions as everyone else. You can imagine that, in as much as [their] families are worried about them, they, too, are also worried about their families, and themselves, as well,” he says.



Some medical professionals responding to the crisis, in parts of the country, have had to make the difficult decision to live apart from their families as they work to contain the virus. But the taxing nature of their work, coupled with extended periods of isolation, means that counseling and support services will need to be made available to them as the cases continue to rise.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">&#8220;We’ll have to deal with the levels of anxiety and motivation experienced by healthcare workers and first responders taking care of these patients. Doctors and nurses are human, too, and they are experiencing the same emotions as everyone else. You can imagine that, in as much as [their] families are worried about them, they, too, are also worried about their families, and themselves, as well.&#8221;</blockquote>



As it stands, Kenya, like most of the continent, has not been as badly hit when compared to epicenters in Europe or North America. However, this may be due to the fact that the worst is still on its way. In May, the World Health Organization estimated that up to 190,000 Africans may be killed by the pandemic, at its peak.



With Covid-19 due to exert immense pressure on our public health systems, it does offer some important lessons for the future, explains Mwachiro.



“What this outbreak has brought about, for us in Africa, is [the fact] that we need to invest more in our healthcare systems. This has been said so many times&#8230; there have even been a number of strikes [in Kenya] by various stakeholders, all of them trying to highlight these issues. This is a good wake up call. I honestly believe that, if we had spent more on health [before the crisis], it would have gone a long way in helping us to be better prepared. Hopefully, once this [pandemic] resolves, we can keep the momentum going and we can continue looking inwardly for solutions.”



Naturally, Covid-19, with its grim predictions and disruption of lives, has many Kenyans worried about the future. Nevertheless, the challenges of the moment are being met in stride. Families have quickly adjusted to new ways of living while their leaders seek sage advice on how best to address the crisis, and doctors continue to make sacrifices, day in and day out, as they brace for the worst.



Perhaps, most important of all is that, in the pandemic’s wake, hope has become an obstinate presence in all quarters of Kenyan society.



– Marie Shabaya

Kamweti wa Mutu with his two children; Charlie, 11, and Adia, 8, with their Golden Retriever, Nalia, pictured at their home in Nairobi

Covid-19 In Kenya: ‘We Are No Longer Dreaming’

Swimming sensation Chad le Clos had planned on returning from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with gold but with the games postponed, he’s for now focusing on family, fitness and his foundation.



For many athletes, the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to 2021 has meant stalled training regimes. South Africa’s 28-year-old Olympic gold medalist swimmer Chad le Clos, at home in the coastal town of Durban while in lockdown in South Africa, says this year, he had hoped to return from the Olympics with another gold medal.



“I planned on hopefully winning a gold medal and coming back home and celebrating with the country. I was planning on doing a lot of great things this year. It is quite sad but I am looking at the bigger picture. There are a lot of things I want to achieve inside and outside of the pool. The Olympics is the biggest goal I will ever have. And hopefully, I can make South Africa proud next year.”



Posing in front of his haul of medals at home in Durban, in a Zoom interview with FORBES AFRICA, Le Clos, who was also one of FORBES AFRICA’s 30 Under 30 list-makers in 2019, says he is waiting to get back into the pool.



“Before the lockdown in South Africa, I was away in Europe training. For the last five weeks, I have not been able to train but I was very lucky to spend time with a family friend on his farm on 36 acres of land with horses and dogs, so I was mostly training outdoors.”



The sports star, who is also recovering from two recent surgeries, says swimming is different from any other sport.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“As a runner or athlete, you can run, but as a swimmer, you need to have that feel of the water. It’s a very different fitness. I am a terrible runner, I can’t run at all. But when I am in the pool, I can be as fit as I can… So focus is important, once you lose that feel, it will take weeks to get back to that fitness.”</blockquote>



Le Clos, who has been swimming competitively from the age of 10 and is a 17-time Commonwealth Games medalist, speaks about the Chad le Clos Foundation and the special projects coming up in the townships also serving underprivileged communities.



How about becoming an entrepreneur at some point, we ask in this interview.



“I don’t want to close any doors. I want to dive into everything head on. Right now, my big focus is the Olympics. I am in a great mental head space. My family is the most important thing and they are safe. Once swimming has firmly shut, I will focus on the next chapter and it will be some sort of business. I have a lot of passion projects like I have said with my foundation&#8230;”



<figure class="wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex"><ul class="blocks-gallery-grid"><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="682" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GMD_6681-1024x682.jpg" alt="" data-id="45623" data-full-url="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GMD_6681-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=45623" class="wp-image-45623" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GMD_6681-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GMD_6681-scaled-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GMD_6681-scaled-600x400.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GMD_6681-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GMD_6681-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GMD_6681-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li></ul></figure>



Le Clos says he has looked up to swimmer Michael Phelps his whole life (and even beat him at the age of 20 by 0.05 seconds at the 2012 Olympics in London in the men’s 200meters butterfly), but the iconic boxer Muhammad Ali is his “ultimate idol”.



“For what he stood for, the greatest boxer of all time, he was the people’s champion. I am not as outspoken as he was, but I have always seen myself too as a people’s champion, I have seen myself swimming for my family, my people and my country. Muhammad Ali is my hero and icon. And my big inspiration outside of the pool.”



During the lockdown, besides “playing a lot of poker with my family and losing”, it has also been a good time to reflect.



“I like to visualize positive things. As a kid, I always visualized success, the Olympics, the gold medal, you create that moment, and let that percolate. The more positives you put out are the positives you will get back. Focus on the positives. During this time, make yourself stronger mentally. You can come out of this stronger, and it will help you going forward.”

Arena Media Marathon

Making South Africa Proud And His Inspiration Outside The Pool

Coronavirus has affected everyone in the UK, but not everyone has been affected in the same way.



This is starkly apparent when it comes to money. Eight million people are on furlough, receiving 80% of their normal pay from the government’s job retention scheme, while thousands more have been made redundant.



Many self-employed individuals and business owners are likewise under extreme financial pressure because of the lockdown.



But for others, the coronavirus has been a very different experience. Millions have been able to work from home on full pay but with significantly reduced outgoings – no commuting, no expensive coffees or sandwich shop lunches, no dry cleaning bills.



With shopping and entertainment options severely curtailed, general spending has dropping dramatically. According to pollsters YouGov, 1 in 6 people have been able to add to their savings, while 1 in 10 have managed to pay of their debts.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="960" height="480" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45517" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0-1.jpg 960w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0-1-300x150.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0-1-600x300.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/960x0-1-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption>44% of respondents feel less secure about their financial situation   YOUGOV</figcaption></figure>



Perhaps not surprisingly, white collar professionals have been better able to improve their finances. Those in manual occupations are more likely to have continued going into work rather than working from home and enjoying the associated cost savings.



Worryingly, YouGov found that 36% of Britons have dipped into their savings to meet their bills during the pandemic, with 44% feeling less financially secure as a result of the crisis.



Additionally, 16% have reported that their debts have gone up, while over a third (35%) have reported that their incomes have decreased.



Government intervention



The financial situation for many people would undoubtedly have been worse had it not been for swift intervention by the government on an unprecedented scale.



The job retention scheme, originally due to run until the end of July, has been extended until the end of October – although from August employers will be expected to contribute towards the cost.



Businesses are also able to access a range of loans underwritten in full or in part by the government, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisoruk/2020/05/04/how-to-contact-your-bank-for-bounce-back-loan-details/#11cce61b1f87">Bounce Back Loans Scheme</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisoruk/2020/05/19/government-increases-loans-limit-refunds-sick-pay-as-jobs-data-triggers-gloomy-forecasts/#734d76484e4e">Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme</a>, where the maximum loan size was increased from £50 million to £200 million earlier this week.



Additional funding has also been made available to large corporations by the Bank of England.



Other government measures include the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisoruk/2020/05/13/income-support-scheme-for-uk-self-employed-goes-live/#25de46e032b1">Self Employment Income Support Scheme</a>. However, at present, this only provides payments to cover the months of March, April and May, and there has been no suggestion that it will be extended in the same way as the job retention scheme.



Mortgage payments holiday



The government is planning to extend its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisoruk/2020/05/22/fca-proposes-to-extend-access-to-mortgage-payment-holidays/#299ed5084c47">mortgage payments holiday initiative,</a>&nbsp;whereby banks and building societies are instructed to allow borrowers to miss repayments on the understanding they will make up the accrued capital and interest debt over the rest of their loan.



The scheme was originally due to run until 20 June 2020, but under propoals expected to be rubber-stamped this week, those who have already taken payment holidays will be able to apply for an extension of up to three months, while those who have not yet applied will be able to do so until 31 October 2020.



UK Finance, which represents lenders, says 1.82 million mortgages were subject to a payments holiday as of 20 May – roughly 1 in 6 of all mortgages.



The three-month payment holiday for credit cards and other credit-based products is under active review – we may hear more on that from the Financial Conduct Authority in the coming days.



Impact on motoring



One area of the economy that has seen a huge contraction is motoring, from car sales to fuel consumption.



The number of new car registrations collapsed in April, the first full month of the lockdown, falling 97.3% year on year, from 161,064 in 2019 to 4,321 in 2020.



The restrictions imposed by the lockdown inevitably led to most people driving less or not at all, which had a knock-on effect on sales of petrol. The reduction in supermarket pump prices to below £1 a litre earlier in May was a clear indicator that supply was well ahead of demand.



Research from Lloyds Bank suggests fuel spending in April was down 58%, while day-to-day commuting expenditure was 86% lower.



Online car retailer CarWow reckons more than two fifths of Britons have spent less than £10 on petrol during the last month, with a third purchasing no petrol at all.



Vix Leyton at CarWow, said: “After more than two months in lockdown, the idea of a regular petrol station top-up no doubt seems like a distant memory to the millions of British motorists who’ve not needed fuel &#8211; or perhaps even driven &#8211;&nbsp;for weeks.”



With some of the lockdown restrictions beginning to easy, Leyton suggests now might be a time to fill up: “For those wanting to take advantage of low pump prices, now is arguably the time to do so &#8211; providing you can do so safely &#8211;&nbsp;before lockdown measures are eased even further and long queues begin forming.”



Bike use &#8211; and thefts &#8211; on the up



Another effect of the lockdown has been an rise in the number of people cycling for their permitted daily exercise, but a consequence of this has been an increase in the number of bicycles being stolen.



David Fowkes of insurer Admiral said: “Several cycle retailers have reported that they’ve sold out of many models. We’ve seen a 46% increase in the number of bicycle theft claims over the last seven weeks compared with the same period in 2019. That’s incredible when you consider that overall theft claims have fallen during the lockdown as people have stayed at home, deterring burglars.”



Admiral won plaudits in April when it became the first UK insurer to give&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisoruk/2020/04/21/uk-car-insurer-admiral-announces-customers-refunds-and-support-for-key-workers/#d4367ac6af35">a cash rebate (£25)</a>&nbsp;to all its car insurance policyholders. Only LV has made a similar pro-active gesture, leading the Financial Conduct Authority to impose a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisoruk/2020/05/14/fca-unveils-measures-to-help-insurance-policyholders-hit-by-covid-19/#76d28bd731e3">package of measures</a>&nbsp;that require insurance companies to provide support to customers in financial distress as a result of the pandemic.



Energy bills



With more people working from home and staying at home in line with government stipulations, there has been an increase in domestic energy consumption, with comparison site Compare the Market suggesting annual bills could rise by £400.



However, global demand for energy has reduced sharply, with factories and offices mothballed and travel services limited.



Stephen Murray, energy spokesperson at MoneySuperMarket, says cheaper domestic energy deals are available as a result:&nbsp;“A cocktail of factors have come together to make this is a great time to switch supplier.&nbsp;



“There’s been a major drop in the wholesale element of domestic energy prices of nearly 40%- something partly explained by oversupply in the market due to declining business energy usage as a result of the coronavirus crisis.”



As economies gradually emerge from lockdown and energy demand increases, there is likely to be an impact on prices in the opposite direction.



Tips to keep your finances in shape



Here’s a to-do list for anyone wanting to save money and get their finances in the best possible shape:



<ul><li>Compare energy prices:&nbsp;use a comparison site to see if you can save money by switching. If you’ve never switched or haven’t switched for two or three years, there are likely to be cheap fixed rate deals available</li><li>Talk to your insurer about saving money:&nbsp;the regulator has told car and home insurance companies to help customer whose finances have been harmed by coronavirus, but it’s up to you to contact them to discuss the options, such as reducing the estimated annual mileage on your car insurance and getting a premium refund</li><li>Don’t automatically renew insurance:&nbsp;whenever a car or home insurance policy comes up for renewal, run a quote on a comparison site to see if there’s a better deal out there</li><li>Get the best broadband deal:&nbsp;check you’re on the best deal, especially if you’re working from home or using streaming services more than usual. You need the best combination of speed, capacity, reliability and price. See if your existing service provider can improve its offer</li><li>Talk to your lender:&nbsp;if you have debt, such as a mortgage, personal loan, credit card balance or car finance, and you are struggling to meet your repayments, talk to your lender to see what options are open to you. Don’t be tempted simply to stop making payments as this will have a long-term effect on your financial record.</li></ul>



If you are in financial distress as a result of the pandemic, or it has made your situation worse, contact a debt charity such as <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.nationaldebtline.org/" target="_blank">National Debtline</a> or <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.stepchange.org/" target="_blank">Stepchange</a> for advice and support.



&#8211;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinpratt/">Kevin Pratt</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisoruk/">Advisor UK</a>



Contributor Group, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/personal-finance">Personal Finance</a>

Piggy bank, laptop, purse with money, coffee cup on wooden table top.

Finances And Coronavirus: Threats And Opportunities In Lockdown Era

Ramaphosa

The Sale Of Alcohol Will Be Allowed In South Africa As Country Moves To Level 3 Of Lockdown On 1st June, Cigarettes Still Prohibited

Tshepo Ralephata has been plying the roads to ferry essential services workers during the Level 5 lockdown in South Africa.







Modern heroes don’t wear capes; they either only don blue scrubs or show the willingness to offer a public service in the time of crisis.



In the time of Covid-19, today’s heroes are the men and women next door, and those on the streets, such as taxi owner, Tshepo Ralephata, who has been plying the roads to ferry essential services workers since the stringent days of the Level 5 lockdown in South Africa.



Ralephata has been working in the taxi industry for over 10 years now, but has never worked under “such life-threatening circumstances” as he is now, he observes. But he has to do so also to look after his family.



“I don’t think about being infected with the virus when I’m on the road because I have to make money, I need to pay rent, the kids have to eat any my partner is unemployed making me the only bread-winner, so I don’t have a choice, I have to work,” says Ralephata.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45407" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-scaled-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-scaled-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-094-1-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure>



As a FORBES AFRICA photojournalist looking for great street images, I joined Ralephata in his taxi to document a day in his life in the time of lockdown. His blue Toyota Hiace minibus taxi is his mobile office and the permit to drive during the lockdown sees him working every two days; which has admittedly affected his daily earnings, which has come down from R1,400 to R650.



“We are only allowed to work from 5AM to 10AM and from 4PM to 8PM, the breaks are also an inconvenience. I can also only load 10 passengers at a time, while on the other hand, I buy my own sanitizers to make sure passengers maintain hygiene.”



Indeed, that is what Ralephata did after picking me up at a busstop. He leaned over with a disinfecting sanitizer and sprayed it on to my hands before I entered.



A kilometer into the trip, a young lady entering the taxi refused to be sanitized insisting that she had sanitized at home.



“This is what I deal with some days,” rues Ralephata.



On arrival at a taxi rank, I saw dozens of commuters going about their daily working lives wearing facemasks and gloves, hopping from one taxi to another.



The taxis at the rank are sanitized twice, but Ralephata laments they are not getting much support from the government because they have to buy their own protective gear.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="683" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45408" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-scaled-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-scaled-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Tshepo-156-1-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure>



As we wait for the second load of passengers, Ralephata keeps his sanitizer close at hand and stands by the sliding door, spraying every passenger coming in.



On our way home, he tells me about his daily fears.



“When someone coughs or sneezes, I get scared and think that’s the virus. I just wish that the person is not carrying the virus,” he says.



The young entrepreneur is aware that his job could put his family at risk.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“When I go home after work, I sanitize my hands before holding the door handle, then I go straight to the bathroom for a hot bath and only then, can I bond with the kids.”</blockquote>



Covid-19 is crippling his business and he prays for a vaccine soon because his liquor store business has also been affected.



Ralephata is not reaching his daily targets but helping the community is as much an important motive for him.

Tshepo 084

A Day In The Life Of A Taxi Driver In Lockdown

Steven Benjamin chose to focus on the bird life in his garden in Cape Town to escape the confines of the lockdown.



During South Africa’s five-week shutdown (the country is still on Level 4 restrictions), Cape Town-born underwater photographer Steven Benjamin more used to sharks, whales and dolphins, used the period to look up instead – and indulge in bird-watching, another passion of his.



“Ever since the age of five or six, I have been interested in birds. I was dyslexic as a young child and I still have my first bird book where I ‘ticked’ backwards. I was trying to identify the birds that flew into my pre-school class and begged my mom to let me mark off what I’d seen, so birding has always been a passion,” says Benjamin, who also runs a seal-snorkeling business.



He has spent his life capturing South Africa’s marine world, and now, Benjamin had to redirect his focus to his Kalk Bay garden during the lockdown to photograph Cape Town’s resident birdlife.



He says photographing these feathered beauties is a way to bring joy during these uncertain times.



“They are so beautiful but incredibly difficult to photograph because they are shy and extremely fast. Photographing birds is a challenge but it creates a mental space to observe and admire nature.”



Soon after the lockdown started, Benjamin put white sugar in his bird feeder every morning and enjoyed the sight of local birds and documented them. He posted the images on Instagram and that garnered some online attention.



“The lockdown has made me relax and take the time to do things I would never have gotten around to doing. I settled on this project, which I work on every day. I’m always adding something new to the scene and there are always new birds and interactions happening. It’s made the days fly by,” he says.



During the lockdown, there was only one male Cape Sugar Bird that landed in his garden. This spectacular bird is unique to South Africa and mostly only found in the Western Cape. All of this will go into an exhibition Benjamin is working towards in Cape Town.

Steven Benjamin

Why This Photographer Looked Up During The Lockdown

Frank Songa, Rwanda’s second confirmed Covid-19 patient, lost his sense of smell and taste, but armed himself with information. &nbsp;&nbsp;



Imagine not being able to smell your morning coffee or taste your favorite food. This was what Frank Songa mostly experienced as he battled Covid-19. Thankfully, he is recovered and now able to smell his morning cuppa at home in the beautiful hill country of Rwanda.



Research findings strongly link sensory loss (taste and smell) to Covid-19, and Songa, a Rwandan humanitarian aid worker, was deprived of these senses for close to two weeks.



Today, he is one of many patients who have recovered from&nbsp;Covid-19&nbsp;in the tiny East African country.&nbsp;



&#8220;Food was just that; food! I could not taste it, nor could I smell the strong chlorine used to mop the floors,&#8221; says Songa. He is, however, grateful he did not develop&nbsp;severe symptoms.



On March 14, he drove to hospital to get himself tested after experiencing mild symptoms. He was not prepared for the results.



&#8220;I had a mild fever and a congested nose. Due to the nature of my work, I am a frequent traveler, so I decided to get tested just to make sure I was fine. On the 15th of March, I got a call from the hospital informing me that I had tested positive for the virus,” says the young man.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="567" height="1008" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PHOTO-2020-04-20-14-41-41.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45113" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PHOTO-2020-04-20-14-41-41.jpg 567w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PHOTO-2020-04-20-14-41-41-300x533.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PHOTO-2020-04-20-14-41-41-169x300.jpg 169w" sizes="(max-width: 567px) 100vw, 567px" /><figcaption>Frank Songa; image supplied</figcaption></figure>



Songa was Rwanda&#8217;s second confirmed patient and was taken to the Kanyinya Health Center, one of the three treatment centers accommodating&nbsp;Covid-19 patients in Rwanda. Meanwhile, the process of tracing his contacts began.



While in isolation, he had many questions running amuck in his mind but being armed with the right information helped him keep a level head.



&#8220;I read widely, but I also ensured that I sifted through the information I received on the pandemic and this really helped me remain calm,&#8221; he says.



He will forever remain indebted to the frontline&nbsp;workers including the team of doctors, nurses, nutritionists, lab technicians and even janitors who journeyed with him on the road to recovery.&nbsp;



What was even more puzzling to him was the fact that all the services rendered, including tests, accommodation&nbsp;and even meals were all free of charge.



&#8220;They did not charge me for anything, all the expenses were covered,&#8221; he says, adding that this is not the case in most African countries.



After 22 days in isolation and a series of tests, Songa was finally declared free of the disease and was given a clean chit to return home. This was followed by another 14 days of self-quarantine.



Apart from taking seriously the precautionary measures put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19, Songa cautions against the stigmatization of people who suffer the disease, saying that this would only be regressive and counter-productive in the fight against the pandemic.



By Tesi Kaven

Tag: Lockdown

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA