Grim picture of anxiety in SA during pandemic

Depression rules as people can’t see loved ones with virus, lose jobs, get in financial straits

A PSYCHOLOGICAL, socio-cultural and economic impact seminar hosted by the Presidency alongside the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) has painted a grim picture of the challenges faced by many South Africans amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

This includes many of them being unable to bury their loved ones as a result of the lockdown regulations.

Addressing the virtual seminar, Sadag operations director Cassey Chambers said: “Victims of Covid19 were dying alone as their family members were not allowed to visit them in hospital … and only 50 people were allowed at the funeral. This led to them suffering from lack of closure.”

Many families had incurred financial insecurity as a result of the loss of income through short pay, retrenchments and businesses closing due to Covid-19, Chambers said.

About 59% of people were already suffering from stress before the lockdown, but that had increased to 65% during the lockdown.

Chambers indicated that women suffered the brunt of unemployment and retrenchment during the lock- down.

Speaking during the seminar, Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Thembi Siweya, warned residents against hosting house parties while the country was still under lockdown level 2.

She said such parties were becoming the norm during lockdown level 2 and were likely to expose more people to the virus. “Since the government announced the restricted times for people to buy alcohol, many in society are taking advantage to organise house parties. This will only worsen the situation and allow for the virus to spread. “If it is not essential, our people should choose to stay at home. If they have to go out, they must wear a mask, sanitise or wash their hands with soap regularly,” Siweya said.

She added that the government urged all South Africans to continue to work with it to address changes as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, saying they must continue to adhere to regulations.

“When the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) announced the lockdown, the intention was to save lives and allow the health system to build capacity.

“The unintended consequence is that our economy has taken a knock, and as a result many of our people have lost their jobs, some families have slipped into poverty and others into depression,” Siweya said.

“As the domestic economy grapples with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 30.1% in the first quarter of 2020, reaching its highest level since 2008.

“The unemployment rate remains the highest among the youth, with the 15-24 years (old) cohort recording a 59% unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2020, a 0.9% quarter-on-quarter increase,” Siweya said.

The National Treasury has already estimated that job losses could range between 690 000 and 1.8 million as a result of the pandemic.

“If it is not essential, our people should choose to stay at home Thembi Siweya DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY