Sometimes I think we as South Africans are the most resilient people on earth. We can be slowed down, we can become despondent, but it’s true to say that we as a people cannot be broken, we always rise up to meet the challenge. When times are tough, our raw strength, strong-willed, opinionated, stubborn, passionate, and courageous character shines through. We cannot deny that the spirit of ubuntu is engraved deeply in our DNA, it cannot be contained by words or even pictures that are worth a thousand words. We are South Africa, and South Africa is us!

At the news of the lockdown extension, I see people that oppose our government but love our president. I see strangers of different races, cultures and class encouraging and loving each other on social media. I see our humour and passion in all we do. I see a man in our local community proclaim – “if you display a red ribbon outside your home during the lockdown, I will see to it that you are fed,” and he does. I see the guy on Twitter who says, he realises now that he has more than he needs and asks which struggling local businesses he can give money to.

I am so often reminded of how one person taking a stand and backing it up with action can start and realise anything.

In the face of adversity, the USA is deeply divided, almost disturbed, and their business leaders seem more influential than their president. Europe is in a state of disrepair and denial, while the rest of the world is holding its collective breath.

Our true north is in standing up as individuals and taking action, any action. Commit to giving your time, your money, your support, your skills your knowledge and actually do it! Take hands as communities and as a nation in supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs, the backbone of our economy. More than ever, we need each other, and the world needs our rainbow spirit, we can teach them what ubuntu really means.

We can be to each other and the world who Nelson Mandela was. He stood up one day and forgave humanity, he took hands and united a nation with a real purpose and vision, how dare we let him down, how dare we …

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