“Covid-19 is just one of the many problems we have”

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"As an artist, travelling and being social are essential. If you take those things away from an artist, that suffocates productivity and the general standard of living of an artist.”

The internationally acclaimed artist Percy Mukwevho, also known as Percy the Postman, reflected after the scourge of the coronavirus in the world.

“But, as a person, to bear witness to one of the most terrifying epidemics in history is a reflection of the times at hand,” he said. “Prophecies of such disasters have been ignored over the years. Do we ignore this one as well? That said, I feel the effects of this epidemic go way deeper than the entertainment industry or any other industry, for that matter.”

He stated that he felt that the effects of COVID-19 should create a space for people to start changing the way they see the order of the world in which they are living.

“This needs to reveal to us the real problems we have as people in this world,” he said. “What’s to happen when we are failed by the system that we felt accustomed to? Are we caring about the lives of people enough or are we putting business first in this country or even globally? Do we even understand what’s really going on here in depth?”

He said that while epidemics such as the coronavirus had its debilitating effects on all areas of society, this was the right time for artists to use their art to communicate with the affected and to question the order of things.

“To me, COVID - 19 is just one of the many problems we have in this world,” he said. “Whatever birthed it is the root of the evils that are in control of the big chain that runs the affairs of this world. As rapidly as the virus is spreading, I for one plan on spreading the message that might not be wanted but is needed musically to make our people more conscious of the many challenges we face and the hidden reasons behind them.”

Percy the Postman and his team were planning on hosting a show on 26 March but then it had to be cancelled. “We have had to postpone the show along with any other shows or bookings,” he said. “The disease has truly affected our productivity. However, we have already started creating an online platform to showcase our artistry digitally. The music must play on, even in times like these. Especially in times like these.”

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.