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WORKING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND LOCKDOWN

WORKING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND LOCKDOWN

South Africa was forced to go into a lockdown since the outbreak of the COVID-19 that occurred in early March in the country. While everyone has been on lockdown, some of the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Alumni are working in sectors that are essential in a time of such a crisis, have kept the ball rolling in their industry, despite the deadly virus making its rounds, these individuals have been forging ahead to deliver their services not only to their organisations, but to the country.

Noxolo Memela of DUT Communications department spoke to three individuals who have been working non-stop during this pandemic and found out how they have been coping, what support they have been receiving to keep them going, their biggest fear in working during such a time and what has kept them going above everything that has been happening.

Nontobeko KhozaNontobeko Khoza, Payroll Administrator at Transnet Port Terminals and DUT Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Sciences Alumna has been substituting working from home and going into the office since the commencement of the lockdown. Khoza said although her fears to contract the virus starts kicking in the moment she leaves the house which she considers to be the safest place, at the moment, prayer has kept her going and the hope that there will be better days ahead and that keeps her going. “When I leave the house I am aware that unknowingly, I can get the virus without even being aware but it also helps that I work for a very supportive company that has been making sure we are safe at all times during this crisis,” she said. Khoza stressed in order for her to cope she decided from the beginning that she would not worry herself about fake news that gets circulated in social media. “I don’t worry myself about fake news and for my mental health I decided not to follow the statistics of people being infected on a daily basis,” she added.

However, for Multimedia Journalist at the Mercury newspaper and Journalism Alumnus, Sakhiseni Nxumalo whose job requires him to sometimes attend to stories at COVID-19 hotspots, sanitising and wearing a mask has been his daily priority when going into work and to story sites. Nxumalo also makes sure that on the days that he is not working he stays indoors, watches movies and regularly cleans up his place. Although his biggest fear every morning when he goes to work is being tested positive just like everyone else who are unaware that they have contracted the virus. He further said that the support of his family and prayers every morning and evening has been the biggest contribution to his coping mechanism. “Everytime I feel like I am not coping I call my family for some good laughs and talk to my son, after that I feel alright and ready to take on whatever is before me. I also listen to music, go jogging to keep my body and brain relaxed,” explained Nxumalo.

Siyabonga Mzulwini1He understands the importance of his job whereby he has to keep the public informed and educated about the virus and its impact not only on people but the economy and the entire livelihood of the country, therefore he is grateful to his family for making sure that he is always in a good mental state and the grace of the Lord that is upon his life everyday he is faced with working on stories pertaining to COVID-19. “My job and the purpose it serves to the community of South Africa motivates me to keep going, but my family has been the best during this period, their support by checking up on me on a daily basis has been remarkable,” he said.

For Siyabonga Mzulwini, owner and founder of Flyfree Pest and Weed Control Pay Limited and Environmental Health Alumnus, who is currently sanitising private companies that have been cleared to commence operations on level 4, his life is at a higher risk with facing the virus head on. Mzulwini and his team have to focus on their business goals and the knowledge of helping to curb the virus in order to cope with the risk they are facing every time they report to work. “My team and I rely on the love and support we receive from our families, friends and our business goals. When reporting to work we wear our full body protective gear and adhere to government’s regulations of social distancing, washing and sanitising our hands and the environment we work in,” he said.

According to Mzulwini, there is no room for fear in the what they do. “When you are providing an essential service there is no room to allow fear to linger, our job is to help protect others and ourselves and someone has to do it and so, why not us?” elaborates Mzulwini. He (Mzulwini) and his team are also driven by knowing that their contribution takes the country one step forward to keeping down infection numbers and the need to provide for their families is enough to enlighten their passion.

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