Africa’s Covid-19 response is a glimpse of how things could be different + Other best reads of the week

Africa’s Covid-19 response is a glimpse of how things could be different

The continent’s response to coronavirus has been remarkable. South Africa will begin to ease its lockdown, among the most stringent in the world, after signs that early and decisive action has flattened the curve of new infections. Ghana and Kenya, two other countries that imposed a mix of social distancing, travel restrictions, mask-wearing and curfews, are also inching back towards some kind of normality. 

Labour Day of pain amid job losses and salary cuts

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Cape Town’s Keizersgracht Street ahead of the general strike organised by the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) against the national minimum wage proposal, 25 April 2018. Photo by Leila Dougan

A majority of those affected are in the manufacturing sector, one of the pillars of the Jubilee administration’s Big Four Agenda, where 500 workers have been laid off. The security sector has sent home 300 workers.

Tanzanian cartoonist has a stick for every powerful eye

His illustrations, as such, have partly become instructive, teaching viewers to sanitize their hands and practice social distancing. In a series titled “Myth Busters,” he notes that Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, doesn’t spread through 5G data networks, that taking hot baths will not stop the virus and that drinking alcohol — promoted by Nairobi’s governor — is not a treatment or cure.

Why Amazon is expanding Web Services in Africa but still has no e-commerce here

Amazon’s foray into Africa started in 2004 when a team led by a South African, Chris Pinkham set up a Development Center in Cape Town to build what would become AWS’ pioneering technologies for the Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), which are virtual machines as a service. The company, AWS was started with the launch of the EC2 in 2006.

Slaying centuries-old racism is hard work but it can be done

ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY

In speaking of racism, I am writing about an expression of prejudice from a mostly seemingly more powerful entity, directed at an individual in a less privileged position, through power.
Circulating videos show racists exercising power supported by societal attitudes, and sometimes policies and legislation rationalising discriminatory treatment towards Africans.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.