Five 2020 stories to remember
JOBURG – New year's shootings, lockdown domestic violence, and Covid 19 keeps our reporter on his feet.
Covid-19 related stories and events fill Northcliff Melville Times reporter’s standout stories for 2020.
Here are Andile Dlodlo’s personal list of top 5 stories from 2020.
BREAKING NEWS: Two dead, six taken to hospital in Melville New Year’s night shooting
Minutes into 2020 and the year had already started off on a horrible note as unknown suspects in a black BMW X5 shot at patrons of a restaurant on the corner of 2nd Avenue and 7th street in Melville. Of the eight total victims of the shooting, two females were certified dead by the paramedics while the other six received medical treatment. In July police arrested five suspects and found them in the possession of firearms that matched those potentially used in the shooting. No arrests have been made since then but it will interesting to see how the Melville community commemorates the anniversary of the incident and whether or not police will hold those responsible accountable.
Covid-19 strikes another family where it hurts most
The most touching story of the year was that of a Greymont resident Yola Bastiman who lost her husband, Anthony, in hospital. What shocked the family most was that the man had passed on from Covid-19 complications after arriving at the hospital free of the virus. About a month prior to his passing the man faced issues with his liver that needed urgent medical attention. The family had the feeling that they could be seeing him for the last time had they sent him to hospital and unfortunately this was case. During the interviews I had asked Bastiman if she could share one message with her husband, what would it be and she said, “We didn’t abandon you and I hope you understood that circumstances forced us apart. We so wanted to be with you to give you hope in the last weeks and comfort at the end.”
From this point on I gave the virus twice the amount of respect and cautiousness it deserved.
ICYMI: Wits University to test Covid-19 vaccines
Wits University announces that the first participants in South Africa’s first clinical trial for a vaccine against Covid-19 would be vaccinated in June. As a Wits graduate and coverer of Wits news and events in the area, it was great to know that a university not further than 20 minutes from home was actively working towards finding a vaccine for the coronavirus. Having an institution so close to all of us, researching and testing potential vaccines while sharing their results and information kept one encouraged throughout that a solution for Covid-19 will be found. Time will tell if Wits University will be the first to register a 100 per cent safe and effect Covid-19 vaccine.
Rose Village happy to be playing croquet once again
Not only did Covid-19 take away the ability to go to work, school and travel, it also took away what to many is the most important thing in their life, sports. When government gave the greenlight for certain sports to resume and Rose Village retirement village invited me over to see their croquet players hit the lawns for the first time in months, it felt like maybe things were starting to go back to normal. Spending the morning with Roosevelt Park-based retirement home and learning about the sport of croquet had me forgetting that a virus was still lurking out there.
Lockdown period domestic violence statistics released
When the country went under lockdown many organisations and individuals against domestic and gender-based violence stated that it could be sending hundreds of woman and children to their death and many other terrible experiences. When the police department released crime statistics for the period between April and June 2020, these organisations were proved right. According to the stats, domestic violence was the underlying factor in 112 murders, 322 rapes, 3364 assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm cases (assault GBH) and 7 518 common assault cases which were reported nationally. Yes, the numbers have gone down compared to previous years but the reality remains, South Africa still has a very serious domestic and gender-based violence.
