Of character, courage and reinvention

In this strange, uncertain, current new reality of ours, I’ve discovered so much about so much. That courage comes in a myriad forms and from the most unexpected people. The ordinary people who, with limited resources, are nevertheless feeding and caring for the struggling in their communities; the business owners who are doing everything in their power to keep things going and salaries and wages paid; the parents who are working from home while juggling the balls of bored children, endless washing and around-theclock cooking.

I’ve watched the naysayers proliferate, expending their energies on fault-finding and criticism, and sharing bad news regardless of whether it’s true or not, or of any value to their hapless recipients. I’ve also experienced first-hand the kindness of strangers offering to drop off groceries and medicines for elderly parents who live far away, the regular messages from friends checking up on us, the humourous posts that bring muchneeded levity.

A new friend, in a passing conversation (with a three metre gap between us), used the word “character” the other day. “It’s my strong belief that we can overcome this, and by doing so, we will grow in character, character that will be invaluable in terms of taking us forward,” he said. I agree wholeheartedly.

Next to my desk is a tote bag with words by Nelson Mandela: “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.” Many would probably argue that this is the worst possible time to make a meaningful difference, but others are quietly going about doing just that.

In South Africa, for so long a country that made headlines for all the wrong reasons, the current circumstances, while undeniably difficult, have brought with them hope for a better, more equal future if President Cyril Ramaphosa continues the strong leadership he has shown since lockdown. This is a real opportunity to get rid of the millstones that have weighed heavily around our collective necks for years, among which are South African Airways, corrupt politicians and terrible inequality. I couldn’t put it better than Moneyweb’s Mamokgethi Molopyane, who said in an article titled Rethinking South Africa’s SEOs that: “The state-owned enterprise (SOE) model is not working, has not worked, and is a complete failure.”

It’s our chance to capitalise on the gains already made since Covid-19 struck: by continuing to supply water to marginalised communities; by making decent education available online to everyone; by reallocating and reprioritising state funds to feed and medicate the poor rather than the bloated fat cats; and by keeping the surprisingly large number of police and soldiers who were mobilised during lockdown on permanent duty to fight crime.

Long overdue and now happening (thank goodness) are moves to clamp down on the spread of fake and irresponsible news. ITWeb senior researcher Sibahle Malinga writes that: “The South African government has criminalised the passing on of fake content and has harnessed multiple governmental and civil society bodies to deal with it... As a result, we see this information dropping into social media – either from outside the country or within, and not spreading very far. This is largely because people are reluctant to pass it on.”

Globally, popular messaging platform Whatsapp no longer allows mass forwarding, and Facebook is fighting the spread of false news by disrupting economic incentives (because, it says, most false news is financially motivated), building new products to curb the spread, and helping people make more informed decisions when they encounter false news. Twitter, which has been directing users searching for Covid-19- related information to proven and reliable sources for quite a while already, is also using algorithms to identify fake news – as is Instagram.

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I want to come out of this as the best version of myself and with a forward-looking approach that focuses on positivity, kindness and service excellence along with an ability to recognise and seize new opportunities. This article called “How to Survive COVID-19 Pandemic as a Service Business” by Sonya Gankina was published on Seoplus, a Canadian-based, award-winning digital marketing agency, and is worth a read. It’s packed with relatable advice that includes how to move your business online, the hallmarks of a good website, search engine and social media optimisation, and effective communication that I will be factoring into my future.

Another inspiring article is Kevin Ritchie’s: “Getting creative about business after Covid-19”, which was published in the Saturday Star. I particularly like the line by Henley Africa dean and director Jon FosterPedley: “When we say something is impossible, it is often only about own frame of reference.” That’s empowering, in my opinion. Change your frame of reference and you can change your life.

Finally, President Ramaphosa, in his Freedom Day speech this year (27 April) made some important points. He spoke first of the birth of a new nation in Africa 26 years ago and then of how the coronavirus pandemic is forcing the country to confront the realities of poverty and inequality. “Though we are certainly all braving the same tide, we have not been impacted in the same way by this pandemic. Some people have been able to endure the coronavirus lockdown in a comfortable home with a fully stocked fridge, with private medical care and online learning for their children. For millions of others, this has been a month of misery, of breadwinners not working, of families struggling to survive and of children going to bed and waking up hungry.”

Next year, I want to be able to say that I made a difference, that I contributed to a better Freedom Day for all. Stay safe.