The country is now at the height of a national lockdown and, in some villages, life seems to carry on as usual – individuals and groups of people moving up and down, some gathering in front of spaza shops, passing time, while others group together in the shade of a tree in a designated yard – but not in Wayeni village.
Wayeni is small village of about 800 households, situated some four kilometres off the R578 road. Just driving along the dusty streets of the village on two different days, the village looked as if it had been deserted until our journalist stopped at the gate of one of the homes.
"Xewani!" an old lady greeted once she had come forward, remaining a couple of metres away to allow ample social distance between her and the journalist.
Once she had provided directions to the chief's palace, she was at ease and comfortable enough to answer further questions. "From what we have heard on the radio, the coronavirus is dangerous, and we can't risk breaking the law by walking outside in the streets," she said. "Even those who venture into the streets do so with a valid reason. We have children who listen to us."
The chief's abode was just a six-minute drive from the lady's house, some three streets away on the other side of the village. The streets were still completely empty, except for a man who was walking to the local clinic.
Chief Wisani Malele said that the village had welcomed the lockdown period in good spirits. He added that, at the time of the announcement of the national lockdown, the government had already declared the gathering of more than 50 people illegal.
"So, when the lockdown regulations were passed, no-one was allowed to call a meeting, not even a community gathering, so we had no time to provide residents with any information related to the compliance with the lockdown," he said. "Our people here know the right thing to do, and they are always good, complying people who respect the law which governs them."
He added that the people understood the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic. "They are law-abiding citizens of this land," Chief Malele said. "Some of the people largely depend on working outside the village while others run small, informal businesses right here," he said. He expressed the wish that the government would make provision in the relief programmes for the people from Wayeni who are without means or money to get food.
Malele advised other people to emulate his village: "Let us all comply with the lockdown rules – we know what is the right thing to do."