How stars, socialites are spending time amid lockdown

Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
They are the men and women whose lives are lived in the public eye. Their adoring fans can never get enough of their antics, good or bad, and their actions are scrutinised more than those of the ordinary man and woman.

However, with the coming of Covid-19, even the lives of the celebrities and socialites have changed drastically. These are people whose lives are some people’s entertainment and without interaction with fellow men, their usually busy lives have come to a halt. Sunday Life got in touch with a few local celebrities and socialites to find out what they had been doing with their lives during the lockdown.

Nomsa Dee (comedian)
My lockdown started badly because I was sick and feverish so I thought I had the virus. I ended up going to Mpilo Hospital and I discovered that I had an intestinal problem and from that point I moved to my mother’s house.

The first thing I do in the morning is to steam using lemons and guavas. This is before I eat my first meal. I eat then take my medication. We have a WhatsApp group where we discuss our acts and how we can polish up on our comedy.

We are trying to find a silver lining in all this since all our shows got cancelled. I’m now trying to bond with my mother because I haven’t lived with her in years.

I’m not exercising much these days because my spine is painful so I do a lot of writing instead. I don’t think I’ve ever been this bored in my life but we try to keep ourselves entertained through social media.

Raisedon Baya (writer, arts administrator)
Now I clean the house more often than I usually would. I just clean, cook and share household chores with family but most of my time now is dedicated to doing a lot of reading.

Before the lockdown I was trying to run around all over the place trying to put order but now because I am at home a lot more, I try to do some reading and also writing.

This is the time to write a few stories that can go to the public once the lockdown is over. This is also the time to think about life after lockdown because once it’s over life won’t be the same.

We have to focus on how the arts sector will cope because after the lockdown I think it may be a while before large gatherings are allowed.

That would have a lot of impact on the arts. That’s my day. It is a monotonous routine.

Babongile Sikhonjwa (radio presenter, comedian)
I sleep very late. I get woken up by a very hungry Qobolwakhe (son) in the morning, he gets his breakfast then we feed and take the dogs for a walk. Every other day I am off to the shops for my favourite beverage.

I mostly spend the day reading and watching movies. I also do a bit of researching here and there and also, I day dream of entertainment concepts for after the lockdown.

I only leave home on Fridays for radio or when I have to do live lockdown parties online. Otherwise I spend my days cooking a lot and playing plenty of music.

Mduduzi Mdlongwa (event organiser)
There isn’t much that we have been doing but for some of us it has given us an opportunity to spend time with our better halves at home.

We’re trying to reconnect and find our balance. Obviously, we have taken up new habits like running in the morning or evening. We are also trying to help in charity thrusts.

I belong to the Bulawayo Bar and Club Owners group and there have been contributions made towards fighting Covid-19 and so everyone is following up trying to see how everything is going. There is an online lockdown party that we are playing inclusive of other partners in the game. We are also trying to stay at home and keep safe as we have been mandated to do but we would love to get our lives back.

Arthur Evans (MC, newsreader)
Basically, the lockdown is an amazing inconvenience. You can work but there is only so much work that you can do.

My wife is in the essential services category so she goes to work so I’m pretty much like a stay at home dad at the moment. So, I wake up and exercise then I clean the house. I will prepare breakfast for my daughter, make sure that she is bathed then play games with her. I go through my emails and social media.

We go for a couple of walks in the complex I stay in. I watch a bit of TV and then at around 4PM I read and after that my day winds down. I’m really into braaing at the moment so my braai stand has been used a lot recently. I actually now want to make braaing every Sunday a family tradition. I sleep relatively late so I will probably go on Netflix and I love Sci-Fi thrillers. Besides that, I also watch the news.