Editor –

Allow me to express my disappointment and agony at the inhuman, barbaric and abhorrent manner in which we, as the citizens of the Republic of South Africa, are treated here in Bergville during this difficult period of lockdown (caused by the Covid-19 pandemic).

This small town is made up of a number of villages – where poverty and unemployment is the order of the day. As a member of this community, I would like to seek clarity on a number of issues related to this necessary nationwide lockdown that have affected South Africans at large. I listened to the honourable president when he addressed the nation on different measures which were imposed on South Africans in order to try and flatten the curve of this pandemic.

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In your speech, Mr President, you explicitly articulated that citizens of the Republic of South Africa will be afforded the opportunity to shop for essentials – food in particular – as and when necessary.
Members of your Cabinet also emphasised that citizens should be afforded the opportunity to go to their nearest town to do grocery shopping.

It is unfortunate that, here in Bergville, we are witnessing law enforcement agencies doing the opposite of what you made reference to in your address, Mr President.

Law enforcement agencies are acting against the regulations of the lockdown – we are treated like animals, which I find very inhumane and disgusting. On April 15, people of Bergville were refused an opportunity to get their essentials in town. I am talking about the elderly and vulnerable women who had to go back to their homes without buying groceries and will probably go to bed on empty stomachs. I find this behaviour of our law enforcement agencies extremely uncalled for and nauseating.

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Neighbouring towns like Ladysmith and Estcourt are not doing what we are seeing here. Retailers and consumers in our town are very compliant and are adhering to the regulations of the lockdown – retailers are limiting a number of 50 people in a shop and people are mindful of things such as the importance of social distancing when standing in a queue.

However, turning away people who come to town to do their groceries contravenes the lockdown regulations and we, as the people of Bergville, humbly request those in power to intervene and decisively deal with the impasse we find ourselves in.
I thank you… Ngokuzithoba.

Concerned Bergville Community Member

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