As I reflect on the disruptive and apocalyptic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on basic human values and cultural and religious practices, it has dawned on me that the unit of family has assumed renewed meaning in our social lives. This virus has
forced the fear of God about death away from family as a result of the very tough and almost draconian conditions to restrict social contact. Many people will take years to recover from the pain and trauma of not being present to bury their parents and loved
ones. I know of a few that have unfortunately gone through this experience and I find it very difficult difficult to even imagine their pain. It is this fear that will drastically reduce leisure travel globally. Even our own domestic travel will be mortally
affected. In my own case (given our age and the risk of one or both of us) falling victim to the virus, it became very easy to decide to relocate to Capetown to be with our children who all reside there. The added advantage is the superior
Public health system that they have. The reality of our situation as a nation is that the government has failed to focus on building a capable state to deliver the critical social services that are core to our secondary rights and the
attainment of a more meaningful freedom we should be celebrating today. The legacy of President Ramaphosa must be built on achieving higher capability in Health; Education; Municipalities and enforcement of higher levels of Law and Oder.
I have stated in my various OP-Eds and in my book Fit for Purpose that the incoming democratic government was fully aware of the extent of the debilitating inequities inherited from the apartheid state. A compelling obligation was to build a capable state.
We all know why we failed to achieve this noble objective. But topping the list is the failure of the governing party to maintain the highest possible level of consciousness for social justice. Secondary rights in the Constitution demand this.
