A medical worker takes a swab sample from a man at a drive-through Covid-19 coronavirus testing site.
- The survey measured the Covid-19 stages of grief and found that 35% of South Africans are in a state of sadness.
- About 20% of the participants said they know someone who has contracted Covid-19.
- The survey also found that many citizens do not trust law enforcement to keep them safe during the lockdown.
A study focusing on the social impact of the lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic has found that South Africans are far more concerned about contracting the virus than losing their constitutional rights.
The nationwide survey interviewed around 7 000 people representative of the country’s social make-up and demographics.
The survey by Ask Africa, presented by its CEO Andrea Rademeyer, found that 75% of people in metropolitan areas were more worried about being infected than the loss of their rights during the lockdown.
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This was echoed in townships and informal settlements, which found that 81% of people were more worried about testing positive for Covid-19 as opposed to the 19% of people who were concerned about losing their constitutional rights.
The survey also measured the Covid-19 stages of grief and found that 35% of South Africans are in a state of sadness under the advanced Level 3 of the lockdown, while 22% have accepted the lockdown as the new normal.
According to the survey, as of 16 July, 16% of the participants were still in the denial phase, where they believe that the virus will not affect them.
Twelve percent of South Africans are still angry at being forced to stay home, with their daily lives and activities curbed during the lockdown.
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The survey said 21% are still in the bargaining phase, believing that, if they physical distance for a few weeks, everything will be better afterwards.
But, as the infection rate has started to surge in the country, participants have also reported that the pandemic is starting to hit closer to home.
About 20% of the participants said they know someone who has contracted Covid-19, 12% reported that they knew someone who died as a result of the virus, and 5% said they were in contact with someone that tested positive for Covid-19.
The survey also found that many citizens do not trust law enforcement to keep them safe during the lockdown.
This feeling of distrust has been persistent since the start of the hard lockdown in March this year.
