Some are more equal than others

There is nothing like a global pandemic to remind you how fucked up your country is. Covid-19 is not only testing the humanity of the world but has exposed the inequality in many African countries, Namibia is no exception. According to the Genie Index figures compiled by the World Bank in 2019, Namibia is the fourth most unequal country in Africa and the world, we would be number 3 if South Africa wasn’t that neighbor that wants to beat you at everything. Southern Africa is the most unequal region in Africa in terms of wealth distribution, an African Development Bank study in 2012 revealed that 7 out of the 10 most unequal African countries were in Southern Africa. Which is kind of silly considering that Southern Africa has two of the top ten diamond producers in the world, and the fourth largest producer of Uranium in the world. 

So, it’s no surprise that one of the things that is most highlighted by the outbreak of Covid-19 in Namibia is the social and economic inequality among its citizens. Don’t take my word for it, let’s examine some photographic evidence.

Exhibit A

This photograph, shows the city center in Namibia’s capital Windhoek during the first day of the lockdown of two of Namibia’s biggest economic hubs (Windhoek, Walvis-Bay and Swakopmund) and the two most populous regions (Khomas and Erongo) to combat the spread of Covid-19. The streets are empty, like a scene from a post apocalypse movie, not a human in sight. The rich and the pseudo middle class are at home in their suburban houses and flats, with WiFi and TV to keep them busy during the lockdown. Not to mention fridges and pantries stocked enough to last through an actual apocalypse. 

Exhibit B (i) and Exhibit B (ii)

This photograph shows a City of Windhoek office in the township of Katutura (Same city as Exhibit A), the people outside are queuing for water tokens, yes, WATER! In the poorest informal settlements, households don’t have taps, there are communal water taps that require cards/tokens for you to access water. So these people were defying lockdown guidelines to access water, no social distancing protocols being observed at all, survival knows no protocols. 

Exhibit C

This photograph shows a wholesale store in the township, people are panic buying basic necessities during the lockdown (Food), logic would dictate that these would be bought before the lock down right? Here is the problem, most of the poorest members of Namibian society get paid at the end of the month, so most received their salaries during the first day of the lockdown and some haven’t yet received salaries. Again, no social distancing protocols being observed at all, because survival knows no protocols. 

Things need to change

All this reminds me of a quote from George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” This is what is wrong with Namibia, the fact that 30 years after independence a country with 2.5 million people blessed with great natural resources has created a society where some of its people cannot access basic things that they were getting for free before the country was independent.  Why would people risk being infected by Covid-19? Well, there is a saying of the Aawambo people of Northern Namibia, “Eso noluhepo shimwe ashike.” Death and Poverty are basically the same thing. So, for the poorest in Namibian society there is nothing in their minds that Covid-19 won’t do that poverty hasn’t already. This is the biggest indication of what needs to change post Covid-19, there needs to be a change towards using Namibia’s resources for the benefit of her people. Capitalism may be the most progressive economic system invented by man, but also the most dehumanizing and exclusionary. In Africa this has given us rich countries on paper, that are in reality inhabited by poor people.