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Thread: The COVID-19 pandemic - I think SA has stuffed this one up.

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  1. #1
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    The COVID-19 pandemic - I think SA has stuffed this one up.

    I have had two regular clients who have died from COVID-19 infection in the last 2 days.
    I have had numerous instances of regular clients who have been infected with COVID-19.
    I have had numerous instances of regular clients who have experienced severe financial harm arising from the changes in business the pandemic has caused.
    Locally I have seen the Durban North branch of FNB and the Durban North Post Office closed "due to unforseen circumstances", which it seems is becoming code for "we have had a COVID-19 infection incident and are closed until we have done what needs to be done to reopen."

    This pandemic is serious.
    And personally, I don't think South Africa has done a particularly good job of dealing with it.

    Based on Worldometers:
    South Africa ranks 25th in the order of most populous nations.
    We are now in the top 5 when it comes to total reported infections.
    We are number 4 when it comes to new infections.

    What is most telling has been the relentless growth in new cases. From Mediahack:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    OK. There has been some levelling off over the last 10 days. But check what has happened to testing volumes before we start reading too much into that just yet...

    Just like with HIV, we are punching way above our weight.

    And yet despite this all, I was standing in a queue to get into a shop this morning with the guy behind me right up my ass, with his face mask off and talking loudly into his cellphone - to the point I could feel flecks of spittle landing on my ear.

    Fellow South Africans - WTF!!

    What does it take to get serious about this pandemic in our country?

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    What is the solution?

    If they lock the country down much longer then the entire economy will fail.

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    One thing I have noticed in the past weeks ... the ques outside home affairs ... the post office ... sassa ... have not doubled or tripled ... they are 8 deep spreading down the road ... around the building and just getting longer.

    The general crime rate is up ... for example 2 batteires are being stolen every single morning in our area alone ... I see them arriving at around 3.45 - 4.30 am ... I have footage of them hitting the houses around my house ... a peice of steel pops open the locked unit ... they loosen the wheel and slid ethe gate slightly open ... smash the box off the top of the motor ... damage the wiring and off they go ... next morning the batteries are sold for R40 in Pinetown or R50 at the scrap yard ... it will cost you anything from R500 - R800 to replace the battery and a little extra to repair other damage if you they had to break open the lid thanks to your fitting a steel frame around it ... becoming so common ... add a a bit of load shedding and gate and alarm battery replacement is becoming big bussines ... I am thinking about getting a person on a scooter with a box full of 7 amp/hr batteries to spend the day just replacing batteries all day long ... maybe I should offer the thieves R60 a battery ... if you cant beat them join them

    A new target is aircon piping (always copper) chop and chop and its gone ... people are getting smart and no longer installing copper piping on the outside of buildings ... so aircans are the next best thing.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    Diamond Member Blurock's Avatar
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    One thing I have noticed in the past weeks ... the ques outside home affairs ... the post office ... sassa ... have not doubled or tripled ... they are 8 deep spreading down the road ... around the building and just getting longer.
    I am considering closing my post box because I cannot get near the post office due to the queues and congestion. The only problem is that I do not want my home address displayed on my mail for obvious reasons.
    Excellence is not a skill; its an attitude...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Blurock View Post
    I am considering closing my post box because I cannot get near the post office due to the queues and congestion. The only problem is that I do not want my home address displayed on my mail for obvious reasons.
    I closed my PO box ... just couldnt justify the cost and the hassle to drive to the post office to collect post.

    I do however agree with not using your home address displayed on my mail or any other platform.

    A bussiness oportunity ... spar/checkers/ nanados or the like to offer a PO box service or address for small business or any bussiness for that matter ... as i move to the next phase of my journey ... this could be another oprotunity ... I am thinking about making use of a small storage facility ... offering a collection and delivery service to trademen ... save you having a vehicle on site exposed to the elements ... rather have a dedicated driver who runs from location to location picking up and dropping off "teams" or material ... if you have ever been to an elelctrical wholsaler to collect something ... you will see how long it takes ... an online wholsaler which deleivers to site within 3 hours ... I have many idea i want to start turning into a reality ... only 5 months to go.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    Then you see R10 billion being pi$$ed against the wall for SAA ... you can only shake your head.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    The question is can you survive another lockdown? I doubt I could.

    I managed to get through the initial lockdown ... in fact I went into it with all my bills already paid up todate and some ... but then it dragged out longer and longer ...I was fortunate enough not to have applied for any payment holidays ... however the impact of the virus has affected many of my bigger customers ... which resulted in retrenchements etc .... only now is the impact of the lockdown affecting my finances ... I am starting to feel the burn ... throw in a R50 000 utility bill ... and I would say I am pretty burnt.

    There is some good news ... for example my wife is back to 100 % working hours ... no more short time the work flow is starting to increase ... but not to levels that will produce 110 % income ... so the people can catch up.

    Am I lving in coco land ...thinking people need support right now more than ever ... shouldnt the government be offering relief to small bussiness ...regardless of the colour of your skin ... those who were battling during the lockdown must be on the bones of their A$$e$ right now ... some say that it is the plan to break as many people as possible in preparation of what is to come ... I dont know ... I am not part of any elite organisations ... I am just here trying to get by ... pay my bills and feed my family.

    When you go onto social media and see real human nature ... people fighting over the most ridiculous shyte ... you realise how much hatred there is in this sick world we live in ... it all boils to money and power.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ians View Post
    ... but then it dragged out longer and longer ...I was fortunate enough not to have applied for any payment holidays ... however the impact of the virus has affected many of my bigger customers ... which resulted in retrenchements etc .... be offering relief to small bussiness ...regardless of the colour of your skin ... those who were battling during the lockdown must be on the bones of their A$$e$ right now ... some say that it is the plan to break as many people as possible in preparation of what is to come ... I dont know ... I am not part of any elite organisations ... I am just here trying to get by ... pay my bills and feed my family
    I wish everyone had the same mentality as you.

    I can't tell you how many people have just flat out ignored me about working together and it really just gives the impression that business is booming and money is flowing everywhere!

    I started up an online store a few years ago and every single mail with a new product was followed up on

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    Read this:

    Mob burns week-old Covid-19 treatment facility in Khayelitsha


    https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sou...n-khayelitsha/

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    I have to agree with you Dave that some people just don't seem to realize that social distancing is the only real solution,at the moment, to " flattening" the curve.
    I have to admit that Bachelor life and social distancing don't work to well though and there have been close calls to avoiding Covid so far.

    There have been some interesting theory's and and articles written around what works and what is practical. The best article that I have read and has worked for us as a workshop and personal movements was published on Daily Maverick.It has been my go to document .Covid Prevention .docx

    I have also been following an open twitter account of Sugan Naidoo ( https://twitter.com/sugan2503 ) and he has done a brilliant job in analyzing the figures and providing comment on a daily basis since the beginning.

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