Nigerian filmmaker and animator Niyi Akinmolayan is using the most creative way to explain the pandemic to young Africans.



Niyi Akinmolayan was home in Lagos, Nigeria, after the state issued a lockdown for businesses and schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought global economies to the brink of destruction. He had his two children, aged five and three, both at home, who did not understand why they could no longer go to school, an activity they thoroughly enjoyed.



“The three-year-old was okay but I needed to explain to my five-year-old why she could not go to school and I found it tough trying to do this. How do you explain to a child that there is a virus when they cannot see it and also how do you tell them to constantly wash their hands?”



Beleaguered with this dilemma, Akinmolayan remembered his passion for animation.



“I started out as an animator in 2003, but it was a small industry then so I moved on to feature films instead and by 2010, I released my first feature film. I’ve gone on to make films over the years including the highest-grossing Nollywood film The Wedding Party 2 as well as a couple of films on Netflix.”



Akinmolayan founded the animation arm of his company, Anthill Studios, where he serves as both CEO and Creative Director, about six years ago. Prior to that time, most people were using animation for advertising and montages for TV shows, however, he wanted to use animation as a new way of telling authentic stories.



Anthill Studios originally sought to fill the void of a dedicated post production company for Nollywood but has, over the years, ventured into everything from content production, music videos and motion design. Due to the lack of investment for animation content in Nollywood, Akinmolayan has focused more on the commercial viability of filmmaking in Nollywood, where he also wears the hat of film director, to cover the bills.



“But last year, we did something that was quite big and went viral and it was an animation called Malaika, which was a 17-minute short film loosely based on Queen Amina and that was what led to this new animation. So, I set up a team where we can tell really creative African stories with animation. Because there is the issue with funding, we only do short experimental projects to test the audiences.”



One of those projects was a short two-minute explainer video about what the coronavirus was, which immediately went viral. The content was mostly targeted at adults and was done in four languages namely English, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo.



“But when it hit me was when the schools locked down. I had to find a way to get the message to my children. It felt like I was doing a lot and it wasn’t sinking in. So I started thinking about it differently and said ‘think about this big virus out there and if it gets mummy and daddy you are not going to see mummy and daddy for a long time; no more chocolate, no more icecream and the only way we can beat this virus is to wash our hands every day’. And it was a joke at the time but I started thinking how else are other parents explaining this to their kids?”



With that Eureka moment, Akinmolayan reached out to all the animators in his company and arranged for them to pick up the workstations in the studio and take them home and begin proving to people the potential of the great work they had been doing in animation for the past six years. They worked remotely for four weeks on the project.



“Initially, we just wanted to make one explainer video so I put it out for free on multiple platforms like Africa Magic, Ebony Life TV and also social media platforms. In 48 hours, we had over 400,000 views. The animation is in four languages and has been made available for people to download and if they want to rework it in any language, they can do it.



“But what it has achieved so far is that it has been shared everywhere including churches and schools and I am proud of it. I have received so much feedback from parents saying that they are running out of soap because their kids cannot stop washing their hands,” he says.



The goal is for other NGOs and government institutions to take up the animation content as part of their coronavirus education strategy for children. He hopes the content will also help parents to engage with their children and explain complex things about the current pandemic.

_29A3681

How This African Animator Is Handling The Virus

Recovering from a knee injury the last two years, this Olympian sprinter was all set to defend his title at the Tokyo 2020 Games. In lockdown in South Africa, the ardent Mo Salah and Liverpool fan shares how he has been building his endurance and finding positivity in the chaos.



Nothing can get a good sportsman down.



Ask Cape Town-born Wayde van Niekerk, who made history at the 2016 Rio Olympics with a record-breaking performance as a track and field athlete.



In a way, the five-week government-imposed lockdown in South Africa was an extension of Van Niekerk’s own time away from the limelight, when he was already used to living and training indoors, consistently building on his physical and mental endurance.



The serious knee injury in 2017 that kept him away from the track had meant “a hibernation” of a different kind when he was steering himself for the next big competition returning to the field again in 2020.&nbsp;&nbsp;



This was also going to be the year he was going to defend his 400m world record at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.



“I came out of an injury, and it led to me entering a hibernation period of my life where a lot happened, internally, indoors, away from the TV screens,” says Van Niekerk on a Zoom interview with FORBES AFRICA from his home in Bloemfontein in South Africa’s Free State province, a day after the country lifted the lockdown with Level 4 restrictions.



“As this year started, I had shifted my mentality to becoming an athlete again, and getting ready for the next major competition, and then Covid-19 started, and that led to me taking a step back and shift back to the hibernation stage of training and strengthening myself.



“I am blessed and privileged to have equipment around me and a gym setup at home. So I was well-prepared before even the pandemic… but you do miss the track but this pandemic is something we all have to face.”



The 28-year-old, who showed promise from an early age, and who was also listed as one of FORBES AFRICA’s 30 Under 30 achievers in 2019, says he has been using the time to find peace in chaos.



“What I have learned is to try and find that peace, that positivity and calm in this storm. It’s a mentality shift that I had to meditate on, that I build a positive foundation, that I reap every strength and positivity invested in me, that once I come out of the injury, I &nbsp;come out stronger. Now, I am making sure my physical and mental strength can complement one another.”



With the Tokyo 2020 Games now postponed owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, did it give him the gift of time?



“Not really. Every time is a blessing,” says Van Niekerk. “I prepared myself for that this year, but reality is what it is. And we can’t be dwelling on the losses… we can either see it as time lost or there is a goal I have set for myself, the way I am going to get it is not important. It doesn’t matter the platform it happens on, as long as it happens. I have been investing my time into it.”



From 200m events as a junior athlete, to a 400m specialist later in life, Van Niekerk is clearly among the most versatile sprinters in the history of the sport.



You can sense it’s no fake modesty when he tells you that the time away from the track has also made him want to do more for the less fortunate around him. The attention is not on himself.



“I find it difficult to focus on just me… I am very passionate about helping those around me. I am not a fan of wanting to do things that become a media event,” he says simply.



“We are going through this period to cleanse and strengthen ourselves&#8230; Forget about who you are, and see whose lives you can make easier. The people who are struggling now are the people who will give you the biggest smile and who will give you the confidence. And now it’s time for us as sports people and as human beings to find ways to consider those around us who are less fortunate and not as blessed as we are.”



The transition from indoor fitness to outdoor training, once the lockdown regulations are fully lifted, is not going to be an easy one.



“There are a lot of technical things to it in terms of getting 100% race-fit for an international stage and trying to do some competitions; to just shake off that rust and to get the legs going and the body moving and the blood flowing again. There is a massive difference between a gym workout and being a track athlete. There will be a whole few months before we get to be at the level and shape where we can improve ourselves as athletes,” he says.



The ardent Mo Salah and Liverpool fan has also been engaging with his network of sports comrades around the world. Jamaican former sprinter Usain Bolt is a good friend. You ask if he has been in touch.



“I communicate with most, but Usain is more about the banter. He’s always teasing me about the Premier League not going to finish, so they keep trying to tap into that nerve of mine as I am a passionate Liverpool supporter. So I am trying not to entertain that side of them,” laughs Van Niekerk.



As a child, Van Niekerk dreamed of becoming the fastest man in the world. It’s a dream that still keeps the speedster going.



“It is what I have been investing in ever since I was young, and what I want to achieve. With the barriers I broke came confidence, and why not believe in what I can achieve? I am invested 110% to want to improve the 100m, 200m and up to 400m, and I am more hungry and determined than ever before!”

IMG_8862-01

Wayde van Niekerk: ‘Lockdown Meant Shifting Back To Hibernation To Train And Strengthen Myself’

A poem exclusively penned and performed in lockdown in the US for the readers of FORBES AFRICA, by Rwandan artist Malaika Uwamahoro.



Malaika Uwamahoro, an artist born in Rwanda, and a Theatre Studies BA graduate from Fordham University in New York City, has performed her own poetry on stages around the world including at the United Nations headquarters in New York, and at the African Union summits in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Kigali (Rwanda).



In 2014, she made her Off-Broadway debut at Signature Theatre in the world premiere of Katori Hall&#8217;s Our Lady of Kibeho.



Currently resident in Portland, Maine, in the United States, she speaks to FORBES AFRICA about her life in lockdown, and about a poem she penned exclusively for the readers of the magazine: “To fight this pandemic, essential workers and medical doctors are doing their best on the frontlines to ensure everyone in need gets the necessary support and best care possible… Before we are all choked and out of breath just by thinking about this, I extend this poetry piece as an invitation to look inward.”



How did she come up with the poem, titled I Don’t Mind!, and its accompanying video?



“It was late in the night, my fiancé was fast asleep, and I thought to myself, ‘how do I really feel about all this, what are my true thoughts about this pandemic, what can I do’? I opened my notes and the words began to flow.”



A few days later, she shared the poem with her fiancé, Christian Kayiteshonga, a filmmaker.



“We had previously been pondering ways to make art in our home. This poem seemed like the perfect push to set us in our new path. Our home became the film set, using blankets and cake mix as props, windows and office space as locations, myself as the talent, him as the crew, and now you as the audience,” says Uwamahoro, who also performed for the ‘In the Spotlight’ segment at the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit in Durban, South Africa, on March 6.

Malaika U

‘Our Home Became The Film Set, Blankets Became Props, Windows Became Locations’

Nine out of 10 Africans, which is 89% of the population, watched more television in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa during lockdown, says new study.



Here’s another study that throws more light on lockdown consumer behavior in the Covid-19 era.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Canal+ Advertising, the sales house of Canal+ International TV channels and external publishers, whose activities are mainly focused on French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa, has just released a study on how Covid-19 is influencing behaviors and expectations.



In a first-of-its-kind survey, it found that nine out of 10 Africans, which is 89% of the population, watched more television (two hours and six minutes more than usual) during March to April, when the study was conducted.



“The study noted a significant increase in media consumption due to the stay-at-home orders (confinement and/or curfew situation),” says Damien Legeai, head of marketing of Canal+ Advertising.



The study covered over eight markets in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa including Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, the DRC, Gabon, Mali, Burkina Faso and the Congo.



“TV viewers want to be informed and entertained, so they watch more news channels (FRANCE 24 is number one in terms of increase), more entertainment, more movies and series (Canal +, Novelas TV and Nollywood TV),” says Legeai.



The study also noted a definite change in purchasing behavior.



Adds Legeai: “74% of respondents report spending more for their shopping than before. It means&nbsp;having a&nbsp;stock&nbsp;pile of&nbsp;food. Some product categories are more purchased than others: food, body hygiene (hydroalcoholic gel), cleaning materials (bleach) and mobile phone plans.”



The Canal+ study found that a brand that adapts its communication is going to appear as more dynamic, more confident, and has a proximity with consumers compared to brands that are no longer communicating.



Canal+ is soon also launching activities in English-speaking Africa in its efforts to boost original content development.

Male hand holding TV remote control.

‘More TV, Movies And Series’

Rwanda is easing lockdown restrictions from May 4. The recovered Covid-19 patients so far commend the country’s rapid response and the emotional care they received from the frontline health workers.



“Everyone around me was afraid except me,” recalls 23-year-old Eloi Mugabe about that moment when he was taken to get tested for Covid-19 symptoms, at the Kanombe Military Hospital in Rwanda’s capital Kigali.&nbsp;



Mugabe’s illness started on Day 10 of lockdown in Rwanda when he felt feverish and cold. He had traveled abroad in February, long before the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in Rwanda. But as days went by, his symptoms persisted. He was coughing and even as he self-isolated, his condition worsened as he started to experience breathing issues. He was transferred to Kanyinya Health Centre, one of the three treatment centers set up in Kigali for Covid-19 patients.



For Mugabe, who graduated from the University of Rwanda last year, 2020 was going to be the year when he would debut his business and set up his own music studio.



His initial reaction to the virus was not fear but denial – he was confused as to how he may have contracted it.&nbsp;



“My mother was shocked but was strong and praying for me and it really helped me,” he recalls. What frightened him, however, were the messages he received from friends and family as soon as they learned he had tested positive. “I don’t know if anybody can handle that.”



At the treatment center, he says people were welcoming and the amenities on offer boosted his morale.



“From testing to treatment, books and internet, we were getting everything for free. I reflected about that and said to myself, ‘I’m proud to be having this in my country’. You looked at everything and realized that the government was really prepared to deal with it,” he says.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="434" height="790" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Mugabe-Covid-survivor.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44825" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Mugabe-Covid-survivor.jpg 434w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Mugabe-Covid-survivor-300x546.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Mugabe-Covid-survivor-165x300.jpg 165w" sizes="(max-width: 434px) 100vw, 434px" /><figcaption>Eloi Mugabe on his experience recovering from Covid-19; image supplied</figcaption></figure>



A music enthusiast, Mugabe says he never felt lonely during the 18 days he spent at the center as the internet access enabled him to listen to his favorite songs and interact with friends and relatives.



For two days, he had a bad fever and chest pain; he was subsequently discharged on April 14 after more tests declared him virus-free. 



He says the worst thing about the virus is cutting all human interaction. 



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“We grew up being hugged by our mums, playing and shaking hands with friends without fear and that’s something I missed the most.”</blockquote>







Mugabe is one of the 120 (out of a total of 255 positive cases) who have recovered from the virus in Rwanda as of May 2.



A 36-year-old man who spoke to FORBES AFRICA on condition of anonymity also overcame the deadly virus. He tested positive a day after the first case was confirmed in Rwanda and says there was too much stigma about it at the time in the country. He experienced fatigue and fever and subsequently lost appetite and his sense of smell when he arrived in Rwanda. He suspects to have been infected at the airports in either Los Angeles or Doha where he transited. He was also taken to the Kanyinya treatment center where he spent 20 days before being discharged. One of the things he remembers while at the center was the emotional care he received.



“There was so much support from doctors, telling you it’s going to be okay and that was extremely motivating,” he recalls.



His wife and a brother also tested positive but have also since been discharged. He believes contact-tracing and the rapid response have been crucial for Rwanda’s success at curbing the virus so far. He also commends the people’s willingness to cooperate with health officials.



“The goodwill to say ‘let me go to the hospital and not put other people at risk’ is a critical factor,” he says.



Misinformation has been a worrying issue during this pandemic and he says people who recovered from the virus can play a critical role in dispelling that.



Rwanda confirmed its first case on March 14 and a few days later, the government moved to impose what became Africa&#8217;s first total lockdown, closing borders, prohibiting gatherings and unnecessary movements while allowing only essential services to go on.



Acting early meant Rwanda avoided a scenario where patients were turned away because hospitals were overwhelmed.



Dr Menelas Nkeshimana, who’s leading the case management sub-cell at Rwanda&#8217;s joint task force for Covid-19, says: “One of the strategies that made this possible is applying what we know is working and applying it early.”&nbsp;



“The doctors checked on me like five times a day telling us ‘this is something we can beat’ and that puts you in a positive mood,” adds the Covid-19 survivor Mugabe.



Rwanda is aiming for a step-by-step phased reopening after the lockdown.



Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the Director General of the Rwanda Biomedical Centre, says vigilance must be maintained. “This pandemic continues to surprise many countries and we should adapt our interventions accordingly,” he says.&nbsp;



&#8220;It requires everyone&#8217;s collaboration. We have seen a few incidents of people refusing to comply with restriction measures and that can slow us down,” says Nkeshimana.



The government has made face masks mandatory and authorized a number of local factories to manufacture them in addition to other personal protective equipment.



– Steven Muvunyi

Public transport was banned in Rwanda as a measure to curb the spread of COVID-19. This is Kigali downtown bus terminal

‘Confused At First, Then Proud To Be In This Country’

We all possess an invisible crystal ball that works illimitably in our minds. For most, it is the subconscious belief that conditions are going to get better; the next day will eclipse the last and so forth. I call it ‘the optimist’s theory of mitigation’; we subconsciously coerce our minds to believe that over time, all risks can and will be mitigated. This is what makes us human.



As I ponder over this theory and historic events, I cannot but ruminate on the current Covid-19 pandemic. We have seen nothing like this before. The only people who have any recollection of something similar are centenarians who would have then been at least teenagers during the Spanish Flu in 1918. Not many left! The Spanish Flu did not originate in Spain as many believe; the flu actually started after World War 1 and was first detected in US troops who spread the pandemic.



There are volumes written about the causes and impact of the H1N1 virus that spread influenza across the globe. Even at that time, the infection spread across the world with 500 million people contracting and about 50 million people dying from the virus. Those are scary numbers. At that time, there were no advanced medical facilities, Intensive Care Units or mechanical life support systems and/or ventilators. It took approximately 12 months for the pandemic to stop; it is widely believed that it was not a vaccine or a cure that eradicated the pandemic but it ceased after people had either died or developed immunity. What the flu taught humans was that in keeping with Murphy’s Law, things will go wrong and the impact of these pandemics will be severe; both humanity and economics will be casualties of exponential dissemination. However, as humans, we have always prevailed and come out stronger.



What appears to be consistent remedies to containment, but not eradication, are social distancing, hygiene, wearing masks, lockdowns and flattening the curve measures that were adopted in 1918 as they are being done today. Time and again, nature reminds us through various outbreaks that something sinister can happen. In the aftermath of the Spanish Flu, a lot of research was done on the pandemic but in reality, no vaccine can be developed in advance for a virus that constantly mutates itself. It is not surprising that we managed to contain various pandemics like the Asian Flu in 1957-58, AIDS since 2001, H1N1 or the Swine Flu in 2009-10 and Ebola from 2014-16. The question therefore is not only whether there is a way out, but is there a way we can prepare better. We come back to the age-old malady that we tend to learn from what we have done right and not from what went wrong.



The winners that will come right at a time like this is innovation led by technology. The revolution will be meteoric. Even for dinosaurs like me, the adaptation to these times has been expeditious. Managing a business spanning three continents by sitting in front of my desktop was never conceivable. The mind has once again proven its superiority over matter. If we believe we will surpass any crisis.



There are no right answers during a crisis. How did our leaders act when they were faced with the question of risk to their citizens? Do we enforce lockdowns or do we allow normalcy and then to what degree? Does what works in one country necessarily work in another? History will judge each one as we are living through a period when there are no immediate answers. It’s frightening that even the most learned ones revel in the theory of “being less wrong” than others. More realistic is the fear that the only solace we will find is when our bodies and businesses face the test of immunity; immunity that is the only answer for survival and continuity.



But this is the sad reality of our current time. As we continue to experiment through this ordeal, I encourage everyone to revert to my ‘optimist’s theory of mitigation’; we will find a way out and let no one judge anyone, particularly our leaders (save a few), on what course they selected, as they risked a lot in making the choices that impact the lives of billions. Never before as leaders have we had to take one day at a time to course-correct. It is unprecedented in our lifetime. Let us stand together, follow the law in letter and spirit, contribute towards the destitute, celebrate each success and exonerate our failures as there is light at the end of this tunnel; we simply need to revel with optimism.



– Rakesh Wahi, Founder and Publisher, FORBES AFRICA

Rakesh Wahi

Dealing With Covid-19: The Optimist’s Theory Of Mitigation

While addressing the nation, South Africa&#8217;s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced an implementation of a &#8220;risk adjusted strategy&#8221; through which the government will &#8220;take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions&#8221;. 



Ramaphosa announced the country will begin a gradual and phased recovery of economic activity. The president further stated that there will be a national level and separate levels for each province, district and metro in the country to &#8220;ensure that our response to the pandemic can be as precise and targeted as possible&#8221;. 



The country is currently at Level 5, which the president says &#8220;requires a full national lockdown to contain the spread of the virus&#8221;. This will end at the end of April. Level 4 will begin on May 1st. 



Levels explained below:



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/levels-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44618" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/levels.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/levels-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/levels-100x100.jpg 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/levels-600x600.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/levels-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/levels-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/levels-80x80.jpg 80w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44623" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-100x100.jpg 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-600x600.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system-80x80.jpg 80w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/alert-system.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Read the full speech below:



STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON SOUTH AFRICA’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, UNION BUILDINGS, TSHWANE



My Fellow South Africans,



It has been exactly seven weeks since the first case of the coronavirus was confirmed in our country.



Since then, all our lives have changed in fundamental ways.



As a nation we have been forced to take aggressive action against an invisible enemy that threatened our lives and the lives of our loved ones.



We have been forced to adapt to a new way of living, in a short space of time.



As we enter the fifth week of an unprecedented nation-wide lockdown – and as we look to the future – we should remember why we are here.



The novel coronavirus, which was identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, has spread rapidly across the world.



To date, over 2.6 million confirmed cases have been reported worldwide.



The actual number of people infected is likely to be far higher.



The coronavirus causes the disease known as COVID-19, a respiratory illness for which humans currently have no immunity and for which there is no known cure.



The coronavirus is passed from person to person in small droplets from the nose and mouth that can be transmitted by direct contact, on surfaces we touch or when an infected person coughs or sneezes when they are close to another person.



Most infected people exhibit only mild symptoms; some do not show any symptoms at all.



But there are people who develop severe symptoms and require hospitalisation.



These are usually older people and those who suffer from underlying conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer.



For some of these people, COVID-19 is fatal.



Across the world, more than 185,000 people have succumbed to the disease.



Here in South Africa, at least 75 people have lost their lives.



Because the coronavirus can spread so rapidly through a population, it can overwhelm even the best-resourced health system within a matter of weeks.



This is what has occurred in many countries across the world, and it is precisely what we, as South Africa, have gone to great lengths to prevent.



Very few health systems across the world – if any – are prepared for a sudden and exponential increase in people requiring treatment for a severe respiratory illness.



As a result, if the virus spreads too quickly, there are not enough hospital beds, intensive care units, ventilators, personal protection equipment or medicine for everyone who needs them.



To make matters worse, people who are suffering from other conditions or need emergency procedures are unable to get the care they need.



And in such circumstances, many lives that could have been saved, are lost.



I am reiterating these basic facts – which by now are probably familiar to many of you – because they explain the actions we have taken to date and they inform the measures I am announcing this evening.



From the moment we declared the coronavirus pandemic to be a national disaster on Sunday 15 March, our objective was to delay the spread of the virus.



We have sought to avoid a massive surge in infections and an uncontrollable increase in the number of people needing medical care.



Our approach has been based on the principles of social distancing, restriction of movement and stringent basic hygiene practices.



By delaying the spread of the virus, we have had time to prepare our health facilities and mobilise some of the essential medical supplies needed to meet the inevitable increase in infections.



And it is in so doing, that we hope to save tens of thousands of lives.



There is clear evidence that the lockdown has been working.



Together with the other measures we have taken – such as closing our borders – and the changes in behaviour that each of us has made, the lockdown has slowed the progression of the pandemic in the country.



The World Health Organization has commended South Africa for acting swiftly and for following scientific advice to delay the spread of the virus.



Yet, while a nation-wide lockdown is probably the most effective means to contain the spread of the coronavirus, it cannot be sustained indefinitely.



Our people need to eat. They need to earn a living. Companies need to be able to produce and to trade, they need to generate revenue and keep their employees in employment.



We have accordingly decided that beyond Thursday 30 April, we should begin a gradual and phased recovery of economic activity.



We will implement a risk adjusted strategy through which we take a deliberate and cautious approach to the easing of current lockdown restrictions.



We have decided on this approach because there is still much that is unknown about the rate and manner of the spread of the virus within our population.



The action we take now must therefore be measured and incremental.



This approach is guided by the advice from scientists who have advised that an abrupt and uncontrolled lifting of restrictions could cause a massive resurgence in infections.



We cannot take action today that we will deeply regret tomorrow.



We must avoid a rushed re-opening that could risk a spread, which would need to be followed by another hard lockdown, as has happened in other countries.



We have to balance the need to resume economic activity with the imperative to contain the virus and save lives.



To achieve this, we have developed an approach that determines the measures we should have in place based on the direction of the pandemic in our country.



As part of this approach, there will be five coronavirus levels:



Level 5 means that drastic measures are required to contain the spread of the virus to save lives.



Level 4 means that some activity can be allowed to resume subject to extreme precautions required to limit community transmission and outbreaks.



Level 3 involves the easing of some restrictions, including on work and social activities, to address a high risk of transmission.



Level 2 involves the further easing of restrictions, but the maintenance of physical distancing and restrictions on some leisure and social activities to prevent a resurgence of the virus.



Level 1 means that most normal activity can resume, with precautions and health guidelines followed at all times.



To ensure that our response to the pandemic can be as precise and targeted as possible, there will be a national level and separate levels for each province, district and metro in the country.



We are currently at Level 5, which requires a full national lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.



This is the highest level of lockdown and was imposed when drastic action was necessary to curb transmission.



The National Coronavirus Command Council will determine the alert level based on an assessment of the infection rate and the capacity of our health system to provide care to those who need it.



We have undertaken a detailed exercise to classify the different parts of the economy according to the risk of transmission in that sector, the expected impact of the lockdown, the economic contribution of the sector and the effect on livelihoods.



The relevant Ministers will provide a detailed briefing on the classification of industries and how each is affected at each level.



We will give all industry bodies an opportunity to consider these details and, should they wish, to make submissions before new regulations are gazetted.



The National Coronavirus Command Council met earlier today and determined that the national coronavirus alert level will be lowered from level 5 to level 4 with effect from Friday the 1st of May.



This means that some activity will be allowed to resume subject to extreme precautions to limit community transmission and outbreaks



Some businesses will be allowed to resume operations under specific conditions.



Every business will have to adhere to detailed health and safety protocols to protect their employees, and workplace plans will be put in place to enable disease surveillance and prevent the spread of infection.



All businesses that are permitted to resume operations will be required to do so in a phased manner, first preparing the workplace for a return to operations, followed by the return of the workforce in batches of no more than one-third.



In some cases, a sector will not be able to return to full production during Level 4 while the risk of infection remains high.



These will be spelt out next week following a final round of consultations.



Businesses will be encouraged to adopt a work-from-home strategy where possible.



All staff who can work remotely must be allowed to do so.



The relevant Ministers will provide details on the process for the phased re-opening of schools and other educational institutions.



As we gradually ease the restrictions, it is necessary that many of the measures to contain the spread of the virus remain in place.



When the country moves to level 4 on 1 May:



Our borders will remain closed to international travel, except for the repatriation of South African nationals and foreign citizens.



No travel will be allowed between provinces, except for the transportation of goods and exceptional circumstances such as funerals.



Public transport will continue to operate, with limitations on the number of passengers and stringent hygiene requirements, including that all passengers must wear a face mask.



The public is encouraged to stay at home, other than for essential personal movement, doing essential work and work in sectors that are under controlled opening. People can exercise under strict public health conditions.



All gatherings, apart from funerals and for work, will remain prohibited.



Those who are elderly, and those with underlying conditions, must remain at home and take additional precautions to isolate themselves.



The sale of cigarettes will be permitted.



The range of goods that may be sold will be extended to incorporate certain additional categories. These will be detailed by the relevant Ministers.



It is important to note that several restrictions will remain in place regardless of the level of alert for as long as the risk of transmission is present:



Bars and shebeens will remain closed.



Conference and convention centres, entertainment venues, cinemas, theatres, and concerts will remain closed.



Concerts, sporting events, and religious, cultural and social gatherings will not be allowed until it is deemed safe for them to continue.



The coronavirus is spread by contact between people.



If people do not travel, the virus does not travel.



We know, for example, that just one funeral in Port St Johns and one religious gathering in Mangaung contributed to a spate of infections in their respective provinces.



From the evidence we have, we know that 75 percent of confirmed coronavirus cases are found in just six metro municipalities – Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Cape Town, Buffalo City, EThekwini and Mangaung.



It is therefore essential that we do everything in our means to restrict the movement of people and – although it runs counter to our very nature – to reduce the contact that each of us has with each other.



Ultimately, it is our own actions, as individuals, that will determine how quickly the virus spreads.



If we all adhere to instructions and follow public health guidelines, we will keep the virus under control and will not need to reinstate the most drastic restrictions.



We can prevent the spread of coronavirus by doing a few simple things.



Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol based sanitiser.



Keep a distance of more than one metre between yourself and the next person, especially those who are coughing and sneezing.



Try not to touch your mouth, nose and eyes because your hands may have touched the coronavirus on surfaces.



When you cough or sneeze cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue, and dispose of the tissue right away.



As we begin the easing of lockdown restrictions from the beginning of May, we are calling on all South Africans to wear a face mask whenever you leave home.



Our clothing and textile industry – including many small businesses – are gearing up to produce these masks on a mass scale.



The extraordinary measures that we have put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic have been matched by the extraordinary contributions of many South Africans.



We pay tribute to them, the nurses, the doctors, the scientists and the community screening field workers who are leading our public health response.



We are committed to ensuring that they have all the resources they need – including adequate personal protection equipment and other recognition – to undertake the work that is being asked of them.



As we slowly ease the lockdown restrictions, we are substantially and rapidly increasing our public health response.



We have already seen a huge increase in community screening and testing.



Guided by advice from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, we have joined other African countries in placing mass screening and testing at the centre of the next phase of our response.



Earlier in the week, I announced an additional allocation of R20 billion to our health response to ensure that we have the beds, medicine, equipment and personnel required when the country experiences the peak of infections.



This evening, I also want to pay tribute to those who are providing essential services and goods – the truck, taxi, bus and train drivers; the workers on farms, in stores, at power stations, at water plants, at petrol stations, in banks and in call centres; the law enforcement officials and security personnel.



It is thanks to your efforts that we have been able to make such valuable progress in combating this pandemic.



As part of expanding this effort, I have employed over 70,000 defence force personnel to assist with various parts of our coronavirus response.



Until now, those defence force members that have been deployed have supported the South African Police Service in their responsibilities.



They will continue to do so, but they will also be providing assistance in other essential areas, such as the provision of water supply, infrastructure maintenance and health services.



This is a crucial moment in our struggle against the coronavirus.



It is a time for caution.



It is a time to act responsibly.



It is a time for patience.



There is no person who doesn’t want to return to work.



There is no company that does not want to re-open.



There is no student who does not want to return to their studies.



Yet, we are all called upon, at some time in our lives, to make great sacrifices for our own future and for the future of others.



There are times when we must endure hardship and difficulty, so that we can enjoy freedom and prosperity into the future.



During the past five weeks, we have demonstrated to the entire world what a nation can achieve with courage, determination and solidarity.



We must not give up now.



I am asking you to stay strong.



I am asking you to remain united.



Stay home, stay safe.



Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do.



May God bless South Africa and protect her people.



I thank you.



ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA



www.thepresidency.gov.za

Ramaphosa

#Coronavirus: What You Need To Know About South Africa’s ‘Level 4’ Restrictions After Lockdown

Recovery in oil prices will depend on recovery in the global economy, says Annabel Bishop, Chief Economist at Investec in Johannesburg.



The recent collapse in the WTI (West Texas Intermediate) oil price has added to negative market sentiment, in an environment where risk aversion was already at high levels. Worsening forecasts of the economic impact of Covid-19 has been a key driver of the elevation in risk aversion in global financial markets, with the global recession expected to be deep and lengthy.



The crisis is unprecedented, and there is no certainty of its length and duration, or the impact it will have. Uncertainty heightens risk aversion in financial markets and the deep recessions forecast around the globe exacerbates risk-off sentiment. Risk aversion in financial markets would indeed be exacerbated further if economic growth forecasts for advanced economies weaken substantially further, and/or if uncertainty around Covid-19 intensifies instead of waning.



While this is not expected, should the path of the pandemic change, the discovery of vaccines and treatment/s be seen to be substantially delayed, the extent of disruptions to supply chains and production substantially greater than anticipated and/or policy responses viewed as insufficient, risk-off in global financial markets could escalate substantially further.



The severe negative impact on health in the United States, as fatalities and infections rise, has likely also been extremely negative for financial markets’ sentiment, with the world’s largest economy expected to see a deep recession this year (-5.9% y/y IMF), and with the negative impacts leaching into next year as well.



Financial markets are still at weak levels, and are likely to remain volatile and weak in the near term until evidence for the beginnings of a recovery in the global economy become clearer.



The collapse in the WTI oil price has come as chronic oversupply of oil has occurred. Storage facilities are close to capacity, inventories are very high, and demand is extremely weak. While WTI was negative yesterday morning at -$4.4/bbl, with pricing on May futures, (with suppliers essentially paying to have deliveries taken off their hands), the Brent crude oil price was at $23.8/bbl. It was expected that soon the WTI pricing would revert to June futures and as a result, the WTI price move back towards that of Brent – this has been in the process of beginning to occur this afternoon as US markets have opened. However, the Brent crude oil price has weakened with its pricing also determined by future contracts. Storage facilities are near full capacity, and demand is exceptionally weak, and production capacity has not been reduced instantly as this is not possible.



WTI and Brent are one of the two main benchmarks for oil prices worldwide, Brent is North Sea crude oil essentially, WTI Texas crude oil, both are light sweet crude oils. The quoted prices are influenced by the futures prices, as noted above, which have collapsed and oil prices in the immediate term are likely to be suppressed. While there are a number of other issues besetting the pricing WTI as well, the prices are not expected to lift until substantial supply cuts occur and demand increases notably. While oil importers will gain, and oil exporters lose substantial revenues, the recovery in oil prices will depend on the recovery in the global economy.



The IMF highlights that “(a) partial recovery is projected for 2021, with above trend growth rates, but the level of GDP will remain below the pre-virus trend, with considerable uncertainty about the strength of the rebound. Much worse growth outcomes are possible and maybe even likely. This would follow if the pandemic and containment measures last longer”. This signals a suppressed view for oil prices for some time.

oil pumps at sunset,  industrial oil pumps equipment.

Oil’s Not Well: ‘Global Recession Expected To Be Deep And Lengthy’

South Africa’s 84-year-old golf legend Gary Player speaks to FORBES AFRICA about the greatest honor of his life and on training like a 40-year-old at his daughter’s home during the lockdown in the US.



South Africa’s nine-time Grand Slam golfer, Gary Player, is currently in lockdown with his wife Vivienne in Pennsylvania, in the United States (US), where the couple are visiting their daughter Amanda-Leigh Hall and her family.



Player had also arrived in the US to receive what he calls one of the greatest honors of his life, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Donald Trump at the White House on March 23; some of the past recipients of the prestigious award include Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Mother Teresa, Toni Morrison, Tiger Woods and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.



But the lockdown changed all plans.



So the golfer, best known for an illustrious playing career that included 165 professional victories, is now in his daughter’s home, “training like a 40-year-old”.



Elated, Player classifies the Presidential Medal of Freedom recognition as coming second to the honor of being a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.



When asked how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected him, the world-renowned 84-year-old golfer, nicknamed the ‘Black Night’, says in a phone interview from the US with FORBES AFRICA: “We are living in extraordinary times. This is not life as we have come to know it. My heart goes out to people during this trying time.”



Player fears the aftermath of the Covid-19 virus could be devastating to all, as some are already beginning to suffer due to the inability to earn an income.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“The post Covid-19 world may cause humans to sink into an inevitable hole of depression, and I fear that people will be dying not of the virus, but of hunger and thirst,” he says.</blockquote>







Player says he prays numerous times a day to thank God for his blessings. This year, he celebrates being married to Vivienne for 63 years.



“I love her even more now than I did back then, I wouldn&#8217;t trade the last 63 years for nothing on this earth,” Player says.



Vivienne has traveled the entire “amazing” route with Player while raising the couple’s six children: Jennifer, Marc, Wayne, Michelle, Theresa, and Amanda.



“I can safely, and with confidence, say that my wife is my best friend,” adds Player.



Although in his eighties, and true to his second nickname, ‘Mr Fitness’, Player may be in&nbsp; lockdown in his daughter’s home but he exercises diligently at the in-house gym.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-44494" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977-300x400.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977-600x800.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IMG_0977-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption>Gary Player training at the gym in his daughter&#8217;s home; image supplied </figcaption></figure>



He also ventures into the forested area on his daughter’s property for long, peaceful walks in solitude. There is also a simulator at the house where Player can tee off as though on a golf course.



Including him and his wife, there are currently nine people in his daughter’s home, and although being in isolation, this experience has brought the family even closer, he says.



“All of us participate in joint activities that were never possible before due to everyone’s busy lifestyles. I love my large family,” attests the man blessed with 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is yet to meet his month-old great-grandchild born to granddaughter Antonia and who is the newest addition to his large family.



When the lockdown ends, Player hopes to return to normal life “as soon as possible”. As a businessman with a “hectic, hectic” schedule, he is eager to get back to doing what he loves and says that being patient is not an easy feat.



Commenting on his own future, Player says he wishes to be remembered as a man who tried to contribute to society despite the mistakes he made.



“When I die and pass away, I want people to know that I tried my best in life. And that I am sorry for all the mistakes I made. Admittedly, we all make mistakes.



“I want to be remembered as a man who loved his fellow men,” says the legend who has also recently been key to integrating golf courses into local communities back home in South Africa.



“I am convinced there is a black girl or boy in South Africa today with tremendous athletic prowess, with the talent. If they can just be incentivized, then there is a chance,” Player told FORBES AFRICA for a story on his new initiatives in November 2018.



 – Brandon Nel, FORBES AFRICA contributor



Like what you are reading? There are more such profiles of newsmakers and enterprising thought leaders driving decision-making in FORBES AFRICA. Download a digital copy today!

IMG_0975

True Sport: Gary Player On Family, Isolation And The Covid-19 Aftermath

Until March 27, when South Africa initiated its first phase of the nationwide lockdown, Mphepheto Street in the suburb of Dobsonville in Soweto, had been bustling with informal traders, street vendors, illegal gamblers, taxis and fast cars. With vehicular traffic now restricted only to those with special permits to operate essential services, the entire stretch has turned into a ghost town. Although some residents continue to abide by the regulations, a handful continue to ply their small businesses under the radar to sustain their families.

Mphepheto pic by Tlhabi

[PHOTO OF THE DAY] Shut Shops And Open Roads

A salon owner in the township of Soweto in South Africa laments how she has no option but to dip into her savings and await the relief fund promised by the government after the lockdown.



At a time when self-preservation has become far more important than keeping up with the Joneses, retail establishments offering grooming and hair treatment services have taken the cut, not listed as ‘essential services’ in the 35-day lockdown period in South Africa.



Le Salon is one such, founded by Thembeka Nkosi in South Africa’s sprawling township of Soweto in 2014 after she won a national hair competition, and received R10,000 ($536) in cash and a year’s supply of hair products and equipment, and she started working with major hair brands.



Nkosi was able to grow her business, but the coronavirus pandemic has now derailed all the progress she made.



“The business has been operating for six years and I employ three people paid weekly based on commissions. Now it is very difficult for the employees and myself because if there is no work, there is no income,” laments Nkosi, who is now dipping into her savings to sustain herself.



She urges people to abide by the rules of the lockdown to help flatten the curve, so life can return to normal and people like her can go back to business.



“I had applied for the relief fund promised by the government for small businesses, but the problem is that the money is needed now. We are not open now and not having an income now, but we’ll wait for that money which will help when we reopen, however, the problem is now!”



Before the lockdown, Nkosi had a couple of orders for wigs and is currently working on them.



“Luckily, I had enough stock [hair to make wigs], but even though I can’t deliver them, hopefully, after the lockdown, people will be able to get their hair. I will also lower prices when we reopen and work long hours to generate the money lost.”



Hopefully, she will be able to make up for lost time.

Thembeka Nkosi

Wigs, Weaves And Woes: Beauty Not Priority In Crisis

South Africa’s die-hard football fans bemoan the effect the lockdown is having on the game even as they attempt to keep the conversations going.



With sports events taking a big knock from coronavirus lockdowns globally, the venues and stadiums staging them have closed doors, and no one knows when the stars will come out to play again.



It is heartening though that in some places, local sporting groups, especially die-hard football fans, are keeping the spirit alive in their own way.



Take Football Conversations, a company founded by football fanatic Bandile Roro in 2017 and that is also airing as an eponymous show on Soweto TV.



Along with Tiisetso Mofokeng, the company’s CEO, Roro says the entire football community is in shock as they face an uncertain future.



“Football is about the moments, the comebacks and settling scores and when teams don’t have the opportunity to right yesterday’s wrongs today, then it becomes a problem not only for the football teams, but for the fans as well,” adds Mofokeng.



He says this particular anecdote does not only apply to the 90 minutes on the pitch but also to the information and content Football Conversations beams to the public on television.



“An episode that we air the week before, builds up a hunger and desire for a little bit more the following week and when we don’t get that opportunity to air, that’s how one sees how the pandemic poses a problem,” he says.



The lockdown has affected filming as their shows are usually shot in multiple locations to give every episode a different feel.



But the countrywide infections and deaths have stalled all such ambitions.



“This throws the question of morality; how is content creation important when people’s lives are at stake and that is something we had to understand, but also, on the other side of the coin, Football Conversations creates content as escapism at this time of uncertainty,” says Mofokeng.



“Football Conversations endorses the directive from the president,” adds Roro. “We do believe that this particular period will flatten the curve with fewer new infections and the sooner we adhere to it, the sooner we can return to our normal lives.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The company had signed a procurement contract with a private entity prior to the lockdown, but things are on standstill for now.



Hopeful that the Covid-19 infection rate will slow and the lockdown will be lifted, the duo are now planning their next road trips and a new show, Off Pitch Goals, on players and their businesses.



“We also produce podcasts on Spotify and YouTube to engage with our fans just to keep soccer discussions afloat,” says Roro.



The game may have been affected, but the goals stay the same.

Bandile Roro and Tiisetso Mofokeng at Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg

Alive And Not Kicking: ‘Missing The Great Moments In Football’

Rama

#Coronavirus: South Africa Extends Lockdown By Two Weeks

Ntokozo Hadebe had just started his business when South Africa went into lockdown. He is hoping he will be able to recover payments and keep his enterprise alive. 



Ntokozo Hadebe, an occupational health and safety (OHS) entrepreneur from Soweto, Johannesburg, only recently founded his own business, BNH Pty/Ltd, a consulting and training business concerned with the health, safety and welfare of workers. 



Little did Hadebe know that a killer virus would shut down South Africa. He had just opened shop, and the timing could not have been worse.



“Business had to stop all operations due to the lockdown. I had already invoiced clients and processed jobs that I had recently done. Going into lockdown, I had to put jobs on hold that were scheduled and paid for. I also had quotes awaiting approval and they too were put on hold,” he says.



Like many small businesses, the three-week lockdown in South Africa has affected his operations too; and he, like many of counterparts in business, are uncertain if the lockdown will be extended.



At this point, he is unsure of the business recovery plan of his clients, as that would inadvertently affect payments.



“Recovery is also going to depend on my clients’ strategies. After this crisis is over and business operations continue as normal, I am not sure if my clients will have a budget for me because of the financial constraints they may have incurred during this lockdown. This leaves me in a very tight corner for me to continue to provide my services,” he says.



Hadebe is using this period to strategize and find ways to help BNH recover because, “if there is no operation, there is no income for the business, meaning, I can’t grow the business going forward.”



He is currently surviving on previous payments but also mindful of cash-flow issues for running costs once business kicks off again.



“In a nutshell, I have to use a hand-to-mouth system in order to survive. At least I have settled costs incurred with my suppliers and other service providers, like printers. But for now, I have nothing else coming in at all.”



Hadebe had earlier been employed at a company but quit because he felt he wasn’t getting the support he needed and decided starting his own entity would satiate his hunger.



The lockdown is a harsh learning curve and he hopes he will become a tougher entrepreneur as a result.

Blessed Ntokozo Hadebe

‘Hand-To-Mouth To Survive’: A New Entrepreneur Banks On Hope During Lockdown

As South Africa grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic and faces its eleventh day of the three-week lockdown, big businesses and retail establishments remain shut as people work from home.



But in South Africa’s dense townships, where people live in close proximity to each other, self-isolation is an everyday challenge.&nbsp;



In the urban township of Soweto, there are no confirmed reports of positive Covid-19 cases among residents, so the throngs on the streets and queues outside grocery stores have not all disappeared.



In this image, Mfaniseni Qwabe, a senior citizen who operates a small business selling sweets and snacks, sits outside his yard, to take in some fresh air, wearing a mask.

Tag: Lockdown

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA