Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country has now moved from level one lockdown to level two. This was a decision taken on the basis that COVID-19 infections are gradually increasing again. As a result, the President and Health department saw it fitting to enforce stricter protocols to try and curb the infection rate.
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With the pandemic affecting lives across the globe financially, many people have forgotten that the biggest issue with the virus is that it affects us physically. Therefore, protocols and regulations such as wearing masks; social distancing; sanitizing of the hands, should not be neglected.
This is the concern Muvhango actors voiced out in a video posted on Instagram this week. Dingaan Mokebe ka Khumalo who plays the character of James Motsamai on the SABC2 sudser took to Instagram to slam some fans of the show for not protecting them when asking for pictures.
Dingaan called out fans who do not wear masks when approaching them in public, but expect them to yield to their requests when they ask for pictures.
"You know, we do the job that we do and we do it for you people because we know you love us and we love you too. But I feel somewhere somehow the level of intolerance and the level of selfishness from our fans is on a high level.
"What am I talking about? I'm making this video because there is something that is not sitting well with me. You know we've got this sickness or this pandemic called covid or corona, and with my experience I've seen fans coming through and, firstly they don't want to do social distancing and secondly they want me to take off my mask because they want to take pictures. Now, I need to understand, are we being realistic?" Dingaan said.
The actor reminded fans that there is a third wave looming and people are still dying because of the virus. He also asked that fans remember that they, too, have families and they need to be protected.
"Are we not people? Don't we have families? Don't we have feelings? Is it practical for our fans (as much as we love you guys, as much as we want to take videos with you guys) but is it practical for people to come close, demanding to take pictures? Are we not people? Are we not human?" he asked.
The actor then walked around the studio and approached his colleagues to hear their views and experiences on the matter.
Zonke Mchunu who plays the character of Imani on the soapie echoed Dingaan's sentiments. She told a story of two fans who got so excited when they saw her and her fellow cast member, Bukamina Cebekhulu, who plays Gugu on the show, that they rushed to hug them from behind and totally disregarded the social distancing regulation.
Maumele Mahawu who plays Susan Mukwevho also expressed her concerns. She explained that fans should remember that they are approached by several other fans throughout the course of each day, so it isn't fair for them to expect pictures with no masks on and zero social distancing.
"We are human too. Corona can catch us too. So, please, have mercy on our lives. Let's not take pictures until this wave is done," she said.
Watch the video below
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Image credit: Instagram