South Africans are on tenterhooks since yesterday – today there may (or may not) be an announcement that the country is moving into Lockdown Level 2, which may (or may not) mean that the current ban on the sale of alcohol and tobacco may be lifted. Taking into account that the country reported 6,275 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, and, on the other hand, that the economy is virtually on the verge of collapse due to the loss in tax income on the sale of these products and the loss of job opportunities (as reported by the know-it-alls on social media), this announcement can go either way. I wonder whether moving back to Level 3 is under consideration.
Anyhoo, I was thinking about all the hoo-ha caused by the banning of the use of the nation’s favourite crutches (alcohol and tobacco), when I happened upon this one lonely little illicit tobacco soldier lying on a bench at the seaside – see photo above. Illicit yes, because there is no brand name on the ciggie, which means that it originated from a source within the thriving black market.
Not being a smoker (I quit more than a decade ago) or a drinker (I haven’t touched the stuff since the one and only drink I ever had caused a series of events which ended with my arm in a cast from fingertips to elbow)
… and now I’ve lost the thread of this tale.
O yes, I wanted to say, I don’t smoke, but my finances are also in Collapse Mode due to the cut in interest rates, so I seriously considered the pros and cons of re-selling this little windfall. Maybe on eBay? I understand that a single packet of 20s is now selling for R250, which means that one of these little buggers can be sold for R12.50 (the price of a loaf of bread). And I can add a markup – these are desperate times (pro). But selling tobacco products is illegal (con).
Also, someone could have left it there on purpose thinking that they were doing someone else, maybe the next occupier of that bench a favour, also known as “I’m paying it forward” or “I’m buying a hanging coffee”. In Afrikaans we say “Ek sal ‘n brood koop” which means “I will buy a bread” (for a person in need). Since I am not in dire need (yet) of either a cigarette or a loaf of bread, I decided to leave this very expensive item right where I found it. Hêv a siegrêt on me.
May tonight’s announcement be the result of careful consideration of the social, financial and emotional well-being of this nation.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “pro/con.” Talk about the pros and cons of anything. Enjoy!
To see the rules for this weekly challenge and all the entries for Saturday 15 August 2020, visit Linda G Hill.
Lekkervurigeaffêre
“May tonight’s announcement be the result of careful consideration of the social, financial and emotional well-being of this nation.”
My friend, you and me both.
That cigarette…what and where has it been? I want to know more about the drink, nè😉
HesterLeyNel
Dunno about the drink. I just add water to water No more broken arms for me. Yes, that cigarette puzzled me for a long time. And it’s a proper store bought version – not a zol.
Lekkervurigeaffêre
😷
Kameel
Ek wil ook graag daardie enigste drankie storie verder hoor. Wonder wie het die eensame sigaret toe gerook.
HesterLeyNel
Daai enigste drink is ‘n tender topic, jong. Dit loop hand aan hand met die goud in my tande storie. Ek wil nie graag hê my kinders moet hierdie soort dinge oor hulle ma lees nie.
Lekkervurigeaffêre
Ek sit ok en dink aan die eensame sigretjie
Bondelsgedagtes
Janee ek brand ook om daai storie te hoor…😁
HesterLeyNel
Sjoe, ek weet nie …. my medepligtiges sal onmiddellik daai storie herken. Aan die anderkant, ons kan darem seker nie meer pak kry daaroor nie? Hahahaha.
kethuprofumo
Brilliant consideration, dear Hester. 🙂
HesterLeyNel
Thanks Maria. This whole lockdown operation and everything that goes with it, is really starting to wear us down.
kethuprofumo
My friends. I’m with you! I share your spirit. Besides, too much truth about this global fraud becomes to be revealed. Keep the spirit! The good thing is that my Christmas parcel will arrive to you anyway. 🙂 🙂 🙂
HesterLeyNel
Is it that time of the year already? 😶 Somehow I still cannot get my head around 2020 – this decade is not off to a good start.
kethuprofumo
Not yet, my dear. I’m going to send it in the very end as I did last year. It was a sort of encouraging joke on my behalf meaning that whatever happen we would win. I wish 2020 had been over too. Too heavy year…:-)
HesterLeyNel
I’ll be crossing my fingers for 2021 😀
kethuprofumo
Me too! And on feet too 🙂
Oh, the Places We See
I guess if there is one common thread these days it’s that we are all suffering from the corona virus. Good luck with your dilemma. Stay safe!
HesterLeyNel
That is so true. We are all in this together. All the best to you.
Tina Stewart Brakebill
Interesting. Where I live—liquor stores were designated as essential businesses. And liquor sales skyrocketed. Can’t lie—I did my part 😉
HesterLeyNel
In South Africa the police estimate that at lease 40% of all emergency hospital admissions are relevant to alcohol abuse. The national health system will not be able to cope with these patients, as well as with covid cases, at the same time. Also according to the police, the crime rate has dropped significantly due to the alcohol ban. Not everybody is convinced of these facts. Luckily for me, I never developed a taste for alcohol or even soft drinks, but I do understand the problem that the economy is suffering because of loss of income and job losses due to the ban.
HesterLeyNel
Thank you for the visit and the follow. I’ll visit your blog shortly to see what you are up to 😀
Anne
Sadly I see Dlamini-Zuma has extended the COVID-19 national state of disaster until 15th September. There is a story behind that cigarette!
HesterLeyNel
They had to extend this in order to legalise any lockdown regulations that may be announced tonight. I don’t think we are anywhere close to being released from lockdown within the next few months. Yes, that cigarette – there must be a story. It’s like finding a nugget of gold in Johannesburg Main Street.
Una
Ek lees by jou terwyl ons president praat.
HesterLeyNel
Is hy aan? Moet ook gou oorskakel.
Daarsy – die boodskap was toe goeie nuus! Ek moes my blog eerder geplaas het – ek is seker dit het bygedra om die regering tot beter insigte te bring. Whaha – as if!
Una
Ek vermoed ook so, dankie Hester. Is die strande nou oop?
HesterLeyNel
Ek glo dit sal wees Una. Ons sal moet wag om te sien wat spesifiseer hulle in die Gazette, want daar mag nog steeds nie meer as 50 persone op een plek vergader nie. Ek weet nie hoe hulle dit kan beheer en hanteer op ‘n oop strand nie. Gelukkig is baie van ons strande taamlik afgesonder en ons kan wegbly uit die hoofstroom toeriste.
Una
Ek dink ook julle sal nou weer mag swem. Ag Hester, ek is saam met julle dankbaar. Ek weet jy is ń water baba.
HesterLeyNel
Dankie Una. Nou moet die temperature net so effe styg 😀
Una
Is jy nie uitgehongerd genoeg om maar net te swem nie? Ek sou.🤗
HesterLeyNel
Ek reken nogal so. Ek staan met verlangende oë en kyk na die getypoel, veral wanneer dit windstil is en die water is spieëlglad.
Una
Ons soek defnitief fotos van daai eerste swem. Ag, ek beny jou en Karin. Ampertjies kan julle swem.
Una
Ek verstaan 100%. Ek droom oor die dag wat ek in die see kan instap.
HesterLeyNel
Ek kan darem instap met ‘n visstok en word gereeld nat daar in die branders. Ek sien op die webtuiste http://www.stateofthenation.gov.za sê hulle onder Alert Level 2 – “Parks, beaches and nature reserves will be open for outdoor activity”. Ek sal vir jou die prentjies w/a.
Una
Dis absoluut wonderlik. Al is ons nie naby die see nie, help net die idee van oop strande my gemoed.
Lekkervurigeaffêre
Hester, listening to CR now…the lone cigarette was a sign of hope to return tonormal life.Remember you promised to visit once provincial borders open.😉
HesterLeyNel
Yes! Yes! Weather depending of course. I will only visit in full summer, which means 27°C and higher. I cannot stand the cold on that side of the country.
Lekkervurigeaffêre
Suster, as die wind nie waai nie is dit altyd somer.💝
HesterLeyNel
Nie in my boeke nie. Jy verstaan nie presies hoe koulik ek is nie.
Lekkervurigeaffêre
Jy moet kom kuier, dis rêrig altyd somer, ek het resep vir koulikheid.😉
HesterLeyNel
Solank dit net nie hoofpyn veroorsaak nie.
Lekkervurigeaffêre
Absoluut, net suiwer water en omgee
Chris Mousseau
So interesting…alcohol stores were considered essential here, as well. What was the rationale for the cigarette ban?
HesterLeyNel
This one has never been explained to the satisfaction of the smoking public. I know there was an early statement by the WHO that smoking impairs the lung function which makes it harder for the body to fight off diseases and this was the main excuse. In view of the fact that tobacco product sales thrived on the black market, this ban caused discontent all over the country. Smokers were buying inferior products which could prove more harmful in the long run and the country was losing billions in revenue, yet the government stubbornly persevered in prohibiting the sales of tobacco products. This led to speculation that certain government officials stood to gain from the sales on the black market in their personal capacity – you know – the usual allegations and mudslinging in the tabloids and on social media. Whatever the truth, I don’t think that the emotional distress caused by this action was really worth the enforcement of these rules.
seegogga
Sover ek ğʼn,k weet het Vuurvliegiecwarm kaggels Hester, jy kan maar gaan kuier. Tig jammer jy het nue die siggue maar saamgeneem om vir haarvoresent te gee nie. R12+ is R12+…
Lekker gelees by jou.
HesterLeyNel
😀 Dankie vir die saamgesels Seegogga en ja, soos wat ek vir Lekkervurig ken, sou sy nog ‘n paar R12’e bygelas het om weg te gee vir andere wat dit meer nodig het. Dis die soort persoon wat sy is.
scrapydo2.wordpress.com
Nou toe, toe bring die sigaretjie die regte uitkoms al is hy onwettig gewees. Dit bly maar verstommend hoe n groot invloed rook en drink op mense het. Gelukkig het ek nooit regtig behoefte gehad om beide te doen nie. Op n stadium met n vriendin beide probeer maar dit het nie vir my gewerk nie. Hoop jy kan nou heerlik lyf-nat-maak in die see.
HesterLeyNel
Dit lyk asof die strande nou oopgestel gaan word. Die publieke parke en natuurreservate ook – en laasgenoemde is ‘n groot geskenk. Dit sal lekker wees om weer ‘n slag tussen die kliprantjies rond te ry / loop daar in die Oribi Plaza, of langs die river vis te vang by die Mpenjati.
scrapydo2.wordpress.com
Gelees dat dit nou oop is en dat die rook en drink ook weer oopgestel is.
HesterLeyNel
Dis reg Scrapy, die aankondiging is gisteraand gedoen. Daar is nog sekere maatreëls in plek om verspreiding van die virus te voorkom, maar ons het nou ‘n bietjie meer vryheid van beweging.
scrapydo2.wordpress.com
Dis lekker. Pas jouself steeds maar op.
HesterLeyNel
Dankie Scrapy. Ek sien daar is weer nuwe gevalle aangeteken in NZ. Ek hoop nie die ding vat nou weer pos daar nie. Wees tog maar versigtig.
scrapydo2.wordpress.com
Dis steeds in Auckland. Vandag weer 13 nuwes 5 in hospitaal maar nie in ICU nie. Sover nog nie een dood nie. So stadigaan kom al meer en meer tevoorskyn. Ek bly maar in my bubble- net na Bertus en kleuterskool(wat ek sal opsê as dit moet) en een vriendin waar ek elke Dinsdag gaan kuier. Dis maar swaar want mens het tog maar bietjie geselskap nodig met tye. Julle moet ook maar steeds versigtig wees.
HesterLeyNel
Ons woongebied is pas tot “hotspot” verklaar – een van die gebiede waar die meeste positiewe gevalle voorkom. Ons vermoed dit is omdat die gevalle hier by die dorp se kliniek aangemeld word. Die kliniek bedien die omringende rural areas.
scrapydo2.wordpress.com
Is maar soos hier die cluster storie. Omdat dit veral te doen het met die ouens wat terugkom van oorsee. Hul gaan van lughawe in Auckland na die die kwarentyn hotelle waar hul vir 12 dae bly. Word getoets ek dink dag 3 en dan dag nege weer. Ek’s net bly dat dit op oomblik goed onderdruk of beheer word met die afsondering. Kan jy darem nou wel strand toe gaan?Hoop so.
HesterLeyNel
Ons mag strand toe gaan, maar die wind is nou ysig koud en die see stormagtig – Murphy’s law – so ons bly maar onderdak. Die weervoorspelling vir hierdie week is maar bedroef.
scrapydo2.wordpress.com
Hier was dit nou vir 4 oggende toegeryp en ysig maar deur die dag sonnig. Van more af kry ons reën tot die naweek. Ook maar goed so dan bly mens ook maar tuis.
HesterLeyNel
Ons kry darem nie ryp hier nie. Dankie tog. Daarvan het ek genoeg gehad in Gauteng.
scrapydo2.wordpress.com
Nee wat die koue is maar deel van NZ. Alles is ook meer ingerig op die koue en nie op die warmte wat ons die afgelope paar jaar gehad het nie.
HesterLeyNel
Global warming, nè? Ek wonder wat lê nog voor vir ons.
scrapydo2.wordpress.com
Presies. Ons br bv ook vreeslik in die son gedurende die somer. Hier is baie velkanker en mense wat self doodgaan daarvan! Daar is nie meer so n digte laag tussen ons en die son nie. Droogte is ook aan die orde van die dag in die somer.
HesterLeyNel
Die weerpatrone raak al hoe eienaardiger. Ons sal seker leer om aan te pas – die mensdom doen gewoonlik.
Markus + Micah
Whatever the announcement may be, I hope it helps the people while keeping them safe. It is an incredibly tricky time.
HesterLeyNel
The announcement was made that we will move to Alert level 2 on Tuesday. This means that businesses will open, travel between provinces will be permitted, tobacco and alcohol will be available – liquor stores may sell their products from Monday to Thursday. A few regulations remain in place and this include the wearing of masks in public, social distancing, no spectators at sports events, gatherings of no more than 50 persons per event and working from home where possible is encouraged, etc. We can only hope that these measures will be enough to contain the virus. Thank you for commenting 😊
Markus + Micah
The announcement sounds like an ease in restrictions. I hope it works out well for your community. Here, cases rose again once they ended the lockdown.
HesterLeyNel
I think we are all expecting numbers to increase once the “normal” daily life style is resumed, but at least the necessary infrastructure (especially where healthcare is concerned) is now in place. And hopefully the discipline of social distancing and stricter hygiene is now firmly entrenched – not everywhere of course, there are still people around who laugh off the virus as a bogus threat. Very unfortunate.
Anonimicus
It was insane to see how grown men and women of the 80% Christian nation whined like infants over a fag or a drink.
HesterLeyNel
Yes. I am actually surprised that these measures did not cause unrest and violence on a bigger scale (I know a few liquor stores were robbed). People hate these type of restrictions on what they perceive to be their personal rights and will fight it as a matter of principle.
Anonimicus
The right to drink and smoke…..they never cried because their churches were closed.
seegogga
Come on, be reasonable. There is a vast difference between a mass gathering in a confined space and smoking a sigarette on your own in the privacy of your own home. They cannot be compared. I am not a smoker but restricting smoking as contributing to the spread of the virus is rediculous and made criminals of otherwise law abiding people. Yes, it IS unconsttutional.
Anonimicus
I live right next to a smoker…….my nearest neighbour, a messy smoker. I smoked for decades, gave it up Oct 1998. But I was a courteous smoker and never would whine about dop n twak like those babies did. It really was immature.
HesterLeyNel
Messy is a word I also associate with smokers. And smelly 😂 I also smoked for many years. I quit about ten years ago. AND I also have one of those neighbours – we’re forever picking up their discarded butts in our garden. But this also holds true with regard to their dog’s daily donations on our lawn.
Anonimicus
The balcony is right in my face…..less than 2m away from where I spend 80% or more of my time. Some really lack courtesy.
HesterLeyNel
Good manners (or rather a lack thereof) are always at the bottom of our social struggles.
Anonimicus
Oh, sure! When we lived in Sea Point, the neighbour had a braai. My wife joked that it was rude to braai alone……and in walked our braai meat….😊
HesterLeyNel
A good outcome then! 😂
Anonimicus
Sure! Forty feet above street level.
HesterLeyNel
Ja nogal. Can you imagine this lack of response from religious leaders half a century ago? Do you think technology has changed the face of religion in modern day?
Anonimicus
Technology is going to change society, ultimately enslave and brutally oppress us. Just because we embrace it.
HesterLeyNel
There is a lot of good in technology that should be embraced – and a whole lot of bad that should be curtailed. How to go about maintaining the balance is the question.
Anonimicus
I am a texpert…..it is designed to enslave and oppress. Even John foresaw that from his cave on Patmos two thousand years ago. I can see how it fits in with that 666 thing. Spent at least thirty sessions with the BIG IT to see it develop.
HesterLeyNel
I know you are – I’ve read some of your blogs.
Anonimicus
I need to write about how tech gets designed as an integrated total control system.
I have seen software rolled out to thousands of users worldwide, countless devices, with the click of just one mouse in Cape Town. The interesting thing is that end users, even at sea, didn’t know they were even getting updated.
And the computer jockey in the Cape saw all the hard drives, blades with 100s of drives each, as one single drive from his PC. The level of control one person has can be either smart or scary.
HesterLeyNel
Definitely food for thought there.
Rob Alberts
More and more taxes would help!
Kund regards,
HesterLeyNel
Sorry Rob, I’m afraid that with 30% of the population unemployed and many of the working class earning wages barely above the minimum required by law, there are only a few that will have to cough up those taxes to sustain the economy.
Positief
Sjoe Hester, daai sigret het sekerlik ‘n storie te vertel. As iemand wat rook en drink, kan ek getuig dat die verbied van die produkte ‘n pyn in die gat(sak) was. Mens kon sonder om te hard te probeer nog steeds sigarette en drank bekom, net teen 3 tot 4 keer die prys. Ek weet van mense wat groot geld uit die verbod gemaak het, sonder ‘n enkele sent wat na die staat gegaan het. Dit het ook van normaal wetsgehoorsame burgers kriminele gemaak. In ‘n land waar daar te veel kriminele reeds is, an dit mos nie ‘n goeie ding wees as daar nog bykom nie. Met die verbod gelig, is daar ook heelparty wat steeds die “inferior” sigarette gaan bly koop (hopelik teen beter pryse), wat beteken die regering gaan sukkel om hulle verliese op te maak. Ons sal maar wag en sien waar die ding gaan eindig. Al wat ek weet is dat die jaar ‘n invloed op elke landsburger gaan hê vir jare en jare wat kom, en dit gaan nie ‘n goeie invloed wees nie
HesterLeyNel
Ek moet saamstem, ek dink hierdie gebeure gaan ‘n verreikende invloed hê. Die probleme wat dit geskep het, gaan nie binne afsienbare tyd oorwaai nie.
Lakshmi Bhat
The situation is the same everywhere. Someso very small, changing the course of the world 😯 Take care.
HesterLeyNel
I think that most of us experienced this as a very unexpected and nasty surprise to which we cannot yet adapt. It takes time to get used to a completely new way of life. But this too shall pass. Best wishes and good health to you.
Lakshmi Bhat
Yes, this too shall pass.
Abrie Joubert
. Môre neem die waarde van jou sigaret af. Hy is ‘n alle waarskynlik reeds verbruik. Ek het in die, weermag 2 pakkie Camels gekook, eintlik om ringetjies te blaas wat ek nogal reggekry het. Maar met ringetjies blaas trek jy nie werklik die rook in nie. In elk geval ek het die 2de pakkie weggegee en gelukkig nooit begin rook nie
Abrie Joubert
Terloops ek het nie al die kommentare gelees nie. Het die mense jou darem aangemoedig om te blog oor wat die arms in gips vooraf geloop het?
HesterLeyNel
Ja, hoe ken jy dan die bloggers, maar ek het reeds daaroor geblog https://www.hesterleynel.co.za/2018/01/29/n-dans-en-n-perd-wat-hamburgers-vreet/ Ek het net nie die einde van die aand se jolyt beskryf waar ek my arm gebreek het toe ek misgetrap en myself in gips beland het nie. Kan darem nie alles uitblaker wat ek verkeerd gedoen het nie.
HesterLeyNel
Wel, as iemand ‘n Camel in my mond gedruk het, sou ek ook onmiddellik opgehou het met rook 😁 In my jongdae, lááánk voor joune, was dit natuurlik mode om te rook en almal het meegedoen.