’Covid-free zones’ fuel mask apathy

WARNINGS of a looming third wave of Covid-19 infections seem to have fallen on deaf ears in some communities. When Sunday Independent visited some parts of Soweto this week, it was business as usual.

While some residents had their masks on, others either wore them incorrectly or didn’t have them at all as they went about their daily business.

We caught up with Smangele Masindi, 28, as she was walking to the local shops in Protea Glen. She had her mask placed under her chin. Asked if this was the norm, she said many people in the area tend to walk around without masks on.

“People have become lax compared to last year. In malls, and shops, they do wear their masks, but when walking outside, they don’t properly wear them. I, for one, always have my mask on me, either under my chin or in my pocket. I think I also became relaxed when the country was put on Alert Level 1,” said Masindi.

She added many South Africans do not adhere much to social distancing especially at social gatherings. “People adhere to social distancing in shops and malls because they are generally forced to. It tends to be hard in a taxi as you’re seated with other passengers. But social distancing in recreational places is starting to become just a rumour.”

Tsholofelo Kgabe, 26, said he still tries to play his part by constantly wearing a mask and adhering to social distancing.

“Covid-19 is not gone. We are constantly hearing of new variants we need to be wary of. Many people have died from the virus and continue to die from it.

“We can’t behave like we are out of the woods. I see many people without their masks on but I continue to wear mine as much as possible.”

On the other side of Soweto, on the busy Manotshe Street in Mapetla, Phindi Dichaba, 31, said she had heard of so-called “Covidfree zones” where people don’t bother wearing their masks as they did last year.

“As soon as the country was placed on Alert Level 1 of lockdown, many people saw that as a door to relax more and forget we’re still in this pandemic. Many people buy fast food from the women who sell here and most of them never have masks on. I always have my mask on me,” said Dichaba.

In the same vein, Mduduzi Vela, 40, from Zola said: “There's no lockdown in areas like Emdeni, Jabulani, Zola, Naledi and so on. Kids are playing in the street and taxis are going on as normal. Our people are not taking Covid-19 seriously, as we should,” he said.

Sibongiseni Makhube, 33, from Naledi said the rising numbers scare him but it is difficult to maintain social distancing when you live in a densely populated area.

“We’ve seen endless queues of people lining up outside branches of the post office to collect their R350 grant. Many people don’t wear their masks now. They walk around freely as though we’re not in a pandemic, expecting a third wave,” he said.