This week in the aftermath of the widespread looting and destruction across much of KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng I have few words. Although a semblance of calm might seem to prevail and road delivery routes are opening up, suffering and bereavement, sadness and pain, loss and fear, anger and resentment remain.
Hunger and Covid-19 infections are increasing, and this week, temperatures plummet to extremely cold across much of the country in what has become a bitter winter.
Posted by Carol
letting nature back in 
July 26, 2021 at 1:26 am
I’ve been in regular contact with my KZN (Monteseel) family and watched from afar in horror and helplessness. Wonton destruction is so hard to understand. I do hope you find the strength, to maintain hope for your circumstances, that the colour will return to the monochrome around you.
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July 27, 2021 at 7:54 pm
Thank you Roz and I hope your family in KZN are doing okay?
Indeed it is hard to be hopeful when the underlying factors are so complex and with no real resolution in sight. But as you say we need to find strength, and it can help to acknowledge the good where it can be found, even if it is just understanding that it might have been a lot worse!
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July 25, 2021 at 10:40 am
Such destruction which has caused untold loss, fear and grief and continued suffering is hard to fathom. Cry this Beloved Country. Beautiful images Carol – stay strong. Ax
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July 27, 2021 at 7:37 pm
Thanks very much Anne. At least things are calmer for now. Adding to the general hardship for the many people living in poor circumstances has been record-breakingly cold weather this past week. Even here where the winters are usually relatively mild it dipped down to minus 2 for a couple of nights,
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July 25, 2021 at 2:45 am
What a powerful expression of this sad and frightening time the black and white photography allows. It’s like seeing everyday objects but, they all have raw edges or skeletons exposed. Hope it was somewhat helpful for you to create them. Simply wonderful photography!
Continued Kindest Regards,
Julie
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July 27, 2021 at 7:31 pm
Thanks very much Julie. It struck me how much power context can confer on ordinary things!
Best wishes to you from here where things are currently a lot calmer.
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July 24, 2021 at 7:37 am
I’m so pleased to hear that the transport routes are open again, especially for the safe movement of medical supplies. It is a sad time, and I’m glad you are safe where you are. Take care.
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July 24, 2021 at 3:42 pm
Thank you Megan. It is a very sad time, but it is a relief that food and medical supplies are being transported again, but sadly some small towns and areas have had all their shops destroyed.
Although over 47 500 vaccine doses were lost in the looting, mostly in KZN, and many pharmacies and vaccination sites and were disrupted or destroyed, they have managed to get many vaccination sites going again, which is most admirable. The number of vaccinations per day is rapidly gaining pace, which is remarkable all things considered.
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July 24, 2021 at 9:26 pm
That is good news indeed about the vaccines. Such a pity about all that mayhem, destruction and loss.
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July 23, 2021 at 9:41 am
It is indeed a bitter winter. Your images say this better than any words
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July 23, 2021 at 8:53 pm
Thank you Mariss.
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July 23, 2021 at 8:10 am
The black and white print images reflect our sombre mood this week.
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July 23, 2021 at 8:53 pm
Thanks John – sombre it profoundly is.
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July 23, 2021 at 7:53 am
There really are no words. Your sombre but lovely b/w photos are fitting – and perhaps a glimmer of hope in that even in these sombre times, nature goes on doing what she has to do, promoting life and growth?
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July 23, 2021 at 7:40 am
Dear Carol,
Your photos aptly portray the winter, grey of burnt landscapes and our feelings at this time.
I wrote:
bare bones of landscape
exposed by cathartic fire
waits rain revival
This portrays my sentiment both for the landscape and our emotional state at this time.
Love and best wishes, xxx
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July 23, 2021 at 8:52 pm
Thanks Christeen for sharing your haiku that expresses well the sense of devastation as we hope for life-giving forms of restoration.
I hope that you are safe and also coping with the exceptionally cold winter conditions that currently prevail.
Take care xxx
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July 24, 2021 at 3:57 am
Thank you Carol, we are safe and enjoying winter cold with cosy fires in the evening! xxx
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July 24, 2021 at 3:36 pm
Glad you are safe and cosy. Can’t say I enjoy the winter cold, especially this unusual cold, but we are also fortunate to have a wood burner.
xxx
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July 23, 2021 at 5:05 am
So sorry to hear that the situation there is still bad. I do hope things improve soon. I’m getting the impression here that people are thinking the whole Covid issue is done with and that’s clearly premature. I guess we don’t ever learn.
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July 23, 2021 at 8:41 pm
Thank very much Graham. The situation remains stable as the cost of the destruction is calculated and the fact that over 300 people died sinks in.
Indeed, it is premature to think that Covid is over or even on the wane. It is very troubling that there are still very hard times ahead.
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July 23, 2021 at 4:26 am
Your photographs convey more than words … news of what happened in both places seeped through the rest of the country. The sombreness prevails as well as the need to trust and to believe in a reasonable future. This is going to take a while to rebuild and the wariness is bound to remain longer. You, along with several friends in both places have been in our thoughts – even though we seemingly callously spent time in isolation. These events were never far from our minds for there is no getting away from such appalling events. I wish you both well during the ‘recovery’ period.
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July 23, 2021 at 8:39 pm
Thanks very much Anne. The impact of these events will be felt for a very long time and not just in the regions directly affected.
Of course you were not callous in spending time in isolation – no-one could have predicted – or indeed did predict – what happened.
Thanks very much for your good wishes, which I really do value and appreciate.
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July 23, 2021 at 2:59 am
Your images, beautiful as they are, very effectively symbolize the collective mood of our country, Carol, and I don’t think any of us that are not sharing your lived experience at the moment can even fathom the depth of the “suffering and bereavement, sadness and pain, loss and fear, anger and resentment” being felt by your community. We are thinking of you, but if there is a way to be of more concrete help to you directly please let us know?
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July 23, 2021 at 8:34 pm
Thanks so much for your kindness. My thoughts are with those in the smaller towns and communities who currently do not have access to food and other necessities. As we are in a bigger town there are still enough intact shops and other amenities that are able to supply food and medical care, for example, now that the major delivery routes are functioning again.
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July 23, 2021 at 2:34 am
Oh Carol… I had no idea. Of course I’ve pulled the covers over my head for much of the news. Not that our media covers much of what happens in the rest of the world. For what it’s worth, I’m sending sincere sympathy for what you must be experiencing. Words are simply not enough.
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July 23, 2021 at 10:58 am
Thank you very much Gunta for your kind sympathy. Things are stable in most places for now at least. Where we live is in a large town where food supplies are pretty much restored and there are enough intact shops around for them to carry on trading. However, in many small towns that have only one cluster of shops they have had their entire commercial hub looted and then burnt down. Some of these towns are away from main supply routes and how people will be able to get food and other necessities I don’t know.
Further, over 300 people died in the violence, and with the destruction of businesses hundreds of people have lost their jobs. It appears that the destruction was deliberately orchestrated and although there is much speculation and analysis it remains to be seen if the instigators will be brought to book.
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July 23, 2021 at 7:48 pm
What crazy times we seem to be living. Hang in there… and hoping for the best. For all of us! 🤗
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July 23, 2021 at 8:56 pm
Thanks Gunta and indeed we all need that hope the world over.
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July 22, 2021 at 11:08 pm
Your photos are somber yet beautiful. I hope there will be more lightness and color again in the future!
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July 23, 2021 at 10:24 am
Thank you Tanja, that is a lovely way to express hopefulness for the future in these sombre times.
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July 22, 2021 at 11:02 pm
I cannot imagine how you are managing, Carol– probably feeling many things, a mixture of fear, sadness, outrage and confusion is what I’d probably be feeling. I’m sending peace and love your way. Hang in there, my friend. ❤
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July 23, 2021 at 10:24 am
Thanks so much Eliza – yes indeed very mixed emotions in such a tragic and complex situation with no real clear leadership from govt. The scale of the destruction is enormous and not yet completely tallied. Over 300 people lost their lives. There is no consolation in knowing that so many other countries are also suffering instability.
Peace and love are sorely needed, thanks very much, and resilience too.
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July 22, 2021 at 7:54 pm
Well put Carol
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July 22, 2021 at 8:30 pm
Thanks Brigitte.
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