A letter to Dr Masisi, Dr Masupu and those travelling from India

To Doctor Masupu and company at the Covid Task Force Team – why lo re sotla jaana? Why are you restricting our movement locally and allowing foreign intrusion of the various variants of the corona virus into our country? Does it even make sense?

We know about this economy talk and the need to allow goods and services to come through from other countries for our survival, but how do we explain that a man can be allowed to go to a country with the worst strain of the virus, in this case India, and be allowed back into the country a few days later without being quarantined? This week we were told of the Indian variant reaching our shores, as if it is a shock – we knew this was bound to happen. Other serious countries have instituted travel restrictions on countries that pose a high risk for their citizens – take our colonial masters for instance, they have included our country and others on their blacklist. It’s not like they are xenophobic or have hatred on us and other countries, it’s a precautionary move, and where travel is essential, they impose very strict protocols on quarantine and testing until they are sure someone cannot spread the virus.

Imagine, for those who follow world football, that the 2021 UEFA Champions League final that was scheduled to be played in Turkey had to be moved to Poland simply because our colonial master takes the health of her citizens seriously. Turkey is counted among the countries doing badly in terms of controlling the spread of Corona virus and the British government has made it clear that it’s citizens will not travel there unless they are ready to return to a 21-day lock-in before they can re-enter the country.

Their two clubs, Chelsea and Manchester City are scheduled to play in that match on May 29 and their players and supporters were expected to travel to Instanbul, until the government there stepped up to stop the travel. Those who control the tournament were forced to move the final to Poland because Britain considers that country to be safer compared to the likes of India and Turkey among others.

And these countries have accepted the situation, They do not look at Britain as some form of snobbish ally, but understand the bigger picture. Why can’t we be doing the same? There should be no problem with the citizens of India wanting to go to their country but they should be made aware of the risks they pose for the wider community here upon their return.

They should at the least be encouraged not to go and told that by choosing to go, they sign up to being quarantined away from the rest of the people until they are certified Negative when they return from their visit.

We should not be apologetic about this, simply because we feel they own a lot of businesses here and therefore the economy might suffer.

The economy has already been suffering because we are not allowed to travel locally and economic activities have stopped. This is a matter of life and death. We cannot with open arms welcome death and disease when we see them. We opened our borders when there was that South African strain, and we were affected. Here we are again. At the airport, a lot of people coming into our country are arriving from India. It is not like we do not know. We need protection from you please.

And to those Indian brothers and sisters wishing to go home and return soon, we plead with you to be sensible and considerate. Take it upon yourselves to protect us here where we do not have the kind of medical resources found in your country. If for whatever reason you were forced to go to India, upon return, make things easier for authorities by staying far away from the locals until you are certified Negative. Be that responsible. Do not go anywhere near everybody else until you are certain you do not have Covid.

This is a choice you make when you go. You have employed a lot of our relatives and upon return with your infection, you infect them, they infect their children and friends, and the situation is as it is now – we are receiving reports of several cases of this dangerous variant. Please help save our lives.

To President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, please make sure to lead the way in protecting us. We know you are friends with some of them and even in business partnerships with them. Please implore them to advise their relatives and friends to exercise retraint. Our ailing economy can no longer cope with the repercussions of letting our guard down. Please I beg.