1. From social distancing to burial protocols,a major shortcoming of @SAgovnews Covid strategy has been the inability to develop a South African specific approach which is informed by belief systems, cultural practices & realities of Africans.A thread on death & burial protocols.
2. For people whose loved ones are ill or died during Covid, there’s a sense of dislocation, confusion, fear and trauma.Inability to care for loved ones has left many people with feelings of guilt and no closure. @SAgovnews hasn’t really communicated about these complex feelings.
3. In isiXhosa we say ‘andimtyisanga necephe’, I didn’t give her/him/them a spoonful of medicine. They’re coping with sudden death & with no opportunity to care for their loved ones and often without the opportunity to say goodbye. In RSA, even FaceTime is not possible for many.
4. Death for people who believe in ancestors is an end of life but the beginning of another journey. There are rituals before burial as well as afterwards. Covid protocols have understandably done away with pre burial processes and changed burials without effective communication.
5. We know what to do in such situations. We know we should talk with our ancestors, singxengxeze. However, the shock and lack of closure affects how we process death. That is why communication is important, to help us negotiate this difficult time and remember the tools we have.
6. It’s critical that @SAgovnews addresses its blindspots and the way it communicates, esp about death and burial. The top down approach and issuing diktats is alienating.
7. And for those of us who believe in ancestors, we need to remind each other of the openness, accommodation and flexibility of that world. Our ancestors are compassionate, understanding and loving. Ngxengxezani!
8. @SAgovnews communication failure is not just about death and burial. Even going to the beach means different things for people. For many, it’s not about leisure, it’s about cleansing esp after such a difficult year. Govt needs to show us that it is fully present and sees us.
9. We have talked a lot about how Covid pandemic has thrown inequality into sharp focus. But we have not talked nearly enough about how social distancing can be made possible for people who live in high density areas, people who share space toilets in peri urban areas. @SAgovnews
10. Decongesting these communities is important but it must be done with full and meaningful participation of affected people. By now, facilities like toilets and taps should have been increased. @SAgovnews
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