By Kabelo Mollo
Imagine three and a half billion simply vanished. Imagine you were living in the midst of the most unprecedented times owing to a pandemic that had left thousands dead, and many poverty-stricken. Imagine no one said anything about it. Unbelievable really. Yet that is the reality we are living through right now. The Auditor general has found that amount of money is unaccounted for in the governments coffers. Ours is a poor country, and why would it not be with that kind of wanton looting. There’s no point lamenting the matter, such is our collective anxiety, there’s just no point.
I think we’ve reached the collective end of our tether. Honestly, even expressing outrage at this situation would be merely to register proof of life. In truth we are beat. It’s been a long couple of years. It never falls like we’re beyond this thing. Nacosec has recently shown that Lesotho has returned its first zero case test run. At another time there would be much jubilation and celebration, but right now the response is lukewarm at best. The hallmarks of what Queen Elizabeth infamously referred to as annus horribilis, ‘it was the best of times, it was the worst of times’.
Its so strange, in the grander scheme of things, this has been the best year of my life. I’ve hitched my wagon to my best mate, and she in turn has borne a handsome young man who will one day refer to me as ‘dad’. Yet still, it feels overall like it’s not been a good time. I suppose between the lack of growth and economic opportunity put down to Covid-19 as well as break down in recreational endeavour and travel, its just not gone well.
Even going out for a meal when the restrictions have been lowered has been an exercise in managing anxiety. We have been weighed down by this madness and then to top it off we’ve found ourselves in a seemingly political fight over whether to vaccinate or not. Even in spite of Sankatana fortified yoghurt and the great work the guys at Liselo are doing, it is still essential folks get vaxxed. Unbelievable that it’s almost December, and we’re still having to preach this.
I have been wondering as the year draws to a close and the festive period becomes a reality, why are those who are fully vaccinated still being penalised and made to test when they cross the border? What is the point of this vaccine passport if it needs to be reinforced by a negative test? I agree the borders are porous and so we need some failsafes, but what of those law abiding citizens who have got their shots? Why should they pay for the two countries inability to safeguard their borders.
I had a school teacher who would mutter “I can’t with you” in pure exasperation. That about sums up my view on this year. I can’t with it! I need to put a name on it, and call it a year.
To anybody who’s had anything like a difficult year, or even couple of years, you ought to know that I commend you. You ought to know that if it isn’t fine, then it isn’t the end. Keep on pushing, keep on moving. Let’s give it another go in ’22. With everything we’ve got, we push. And as a reminder to myself, “ain’t nothing to do, but to do it. Lets go!”
To all those we lost in ’21 we will never forget you. Thank you and goodnight.
