Time to look ahead and start mopping up and rebuilding

Tourism is one sector we can not only rebuild to meagre 2019 levels but far beyond.

Tourism is one sector we can not only rebuild to meagre 2019 levels but far beyond.

Published Sep 19, 2020

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Editor’s Note by Mazwi Xaba

At long last lockdown level 1 is here. Feel it, it is here.

Finally we can start in earnest taking united action to rebuild what’s left of our economy.

Forget the debates as to whether we should have changed down gears five months earlier, as acting DA leader John Steenhuisen suggested. Those debates are best put behind us as we focus on the next few weeks and months of mopping up and rebuilding.

The news is very welcome indeed, but I must confess I don’t exactly feel like breaking into dance as President Cyril Ramaphosa suggested we all do on Wednesday night.

Don’t get me wrong. I love shaking my bones and all music, including that infectious Jerusalema number. But I don’t yet feel like putting on my dancing shoes; it’s time for those hard steel-toe boots.

And as we rebuild we need to not only aim to return our economy to its miserable 2019 levels, but instead aim for each sector’s true potential.

With such natural beauty, pleasant climate and favourable currency exchange rates for potential visitors from our major trade partners, tourism is one such sector we can not only rebuild to meagre 2019 levels but far beyond.

Indeed, it is time we opened up our mountains and beaches to local and global visitors while not forgetting about corona containment measures.

Whether level 1 comes five months later or not is now moot. What is really terribly painfully overdue is our recovery plan.

The Independent on Saturday

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