BY SHARON SIBINDI
LOCAL writer, poet and philanthropist Mthulisi Ndlovu has urged fellow artistes to rise up and take part in community awareness campaigns to give people factual information on the deadly COVID-19.
“The Corona pandemic is no longer a laughing matter, artistes must act not later than now. Poets, musicians, actors and painters must take it upon themselves to make sure that they produce useful content that complements general efforts of suffocating the pandemic,” he said.
“Artistes must fully take part in the awareness activism that will promote calmness and educating the general public on how to stay safe during this life-threatening epoch.”
The Plumtree-born artist said most people were now living in fear because they were being misled and fed with fake news from different social media platforms.
“As fake news continues to spread out of proportion, causing unnecessary panic and fear which haunt innocent and helpless citizens who mostly depend on social media content for coronavirus updates, artists must be found doing something to inform people correctly” he said.
“As artists let us write, sing and act upon what will bring sanity and calmness to the general populace. It is, therefore, imperative that we as artists play and take a solid stand in spreading informed and accurate information that seeks nothing, but to cripple the impacts of the corona beast which has a potential of even crushing each and every socio-economic state of the world at large.”
Ndlovu said social media was the biggest toolkit which needs to be fully utilised in times like these.
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“Artists must not by any chance be found sleeping in times like these when corona is becoming a number one humanitarian threat. Poets, musicians, actors and painters must take it upon themselves to make sure that they produce useful content that complements general efforts of suffocating the pandemic,” he said.
Ndlovu also called upon civic organisations, leaders, influencers and the private sector as a whole to take a bold stand in solidarity with the government’s efforts in curbing the spread of the deadly virus.
“Authorities must by all means keep the public fully updated to reduce unnecessary panic and anxiety. The public is advised to stay safe, live and practise all the basic healthy lifestyle routines as suggested by the World Health Organisation and the government,” he said.
