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I remember staying in a Bashu in Okuryangava after graduating from law school & searching for a job,staying "indoors" is not easy.The Bashu is hot during the day & there is no proper "yard" demarcation outside. These realities must be understood when dealing w/people in bashus.
There is usually one or two trees surrounding 5 to 6 Bashus and that is where most people who stay around that area will go for some shade during the day. Yes, limited gatherings must be promoted but we must understand these realities in the informal settlements.
We had to get water at a common tap that accommodated 10 to 20 bashus in the area. Again, it's difficult to stay "In doors" in the conventional sense. So many basic activities are rooted in communal gatherings, we must understand this and try to work around it.
So while it may be easy for me now to buy food, stay indoors watching DSTV and using internet. In the informal settlements, it's almost impossible for people to stay indoors. Even when they are outside the Bashu, the places to catch fresh air are shared with many others.
Law enforcement must take cognizance of these realities when patrolling the informal settlements during this Corona Virus lockdown. What may appear as disregard for the regulations at first glance can be better understood if we look at the reality of life in the bashus for many.
