Department of Sociology lecturer, researcher and author, Dr Nelly Sharpley, together with deputy executive director in Inclusive Economic Development (IED) at Human Science Research Council, Prof Leslie Bank, launched their collaborative book at the Mthatha campus.
The book focuses on the challenges that were brought about by the limitations of the Covid-19 lockdown regulations in African communities, especially in the OR Tambo and Chris Hani Municipalities in the Eastern Cape.
“The book acts as a voice for the voiceless as it addresses the harsh societal changes that deeply disturbed African customs because of Covid regulations. Mostly, the book analysis how these communities dealt with these sudden changes that destabilised these communities,” said Sharpley.
Sharpley recalled the harsh realities of the pandemic which she described as having taken away the element of Ubuntu from the African community as it forced people to deal with family and social issues alone.
In rural South Africa, funerals are family and community affairs. Families and religious leaders are normally given relative freedom to bury the dead in dignified ways, according to tradition and religious beliefs. In 2020, funerals were limited to 100 people with persons observing a distance of at least one and a half meters from each other, restricting community support or any other physical comfort from loved ones.
Night vigils, where families and communities would await the bodies of their loved ones to arrive, referred to as umlindo, were restricted and individuals had to deal with the arrival of the deceased as individuals.
“One of the most heart-breaking stories came from a lady who was burring her mother and had to focus on silencing family members in attendance to avoid troubles with law enforcement. After all the trouble, the lady had been disappointed that she could not focus on burying her mother in a dignified way, nor could she grieve her loss during the time,” said Sharpley.
“A lot of discussions focused on the economic and scientific challenges of the pandemic. It was then our obligation to be the voice of the people in rural areas and tell the story of these rural areas so that people can understand how deeply affected people were,” said Bank.
The book stems from a study that was conducted by a team of researchers from the Department of Sociology, and was awarded 3rd place, nationally, at the annual Human Sciences Research Council’s (HSRC) Medal for Social Sciences and Humanities awards for its extraordinary impact.
The purpose of the research was to advise the provincial government and provincial command structures about measures to minimise the spread of the Covid-19 virus. It was also necessary to develop a deeper understanding of people’s experiences and responses.
“When the Covid-19 pandemic came to South Africa in March 2020, Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council (ECSECC) was called upon to support the provincial government and provincial command structures with effective and efficient decision-making through providing accurate and reliable data to guide decision-making, planning and risk mitigation,” Said Sharpley.
Bank added, “The significance of the study was to help cut back on the regulations around the conduction of funerals. For people in the rural areas, funerals are very sacred, and we documented how the regulations affected the ceremony. Ultimately, it resulted in the reconsideration of the Covid regulations for funerals.”
By Ongezwa Sigodi