Ed's letter | The Heritage Edition

Let’s face it, living through a (seemingly neverenending) history-book chapter has been rough.

Back in March, when the president told us that we had to be holed up at home for 21 days in our fight against an exponentially growing pandemic curve, we sulked like petulant children, wondering how we could possibly make it through three weeks of self-isolation and what we rightfully deemed to be some kind of imposed imprisonment.

One hundred and sixty days or so later, and look at us now! Humbled by what has proven to be one of the biggest tests of our generation.

I don’t know about you, but during my time in lockdown I have gone through a fair amount of reflection, with one of the central themes being the idea of legacy. If it all ended today, what would I have to show for it? What is the impact I would have made to the world?

Use the arrows to page through the e-zine below. Select the 'fullscreen' option (bottom right) to enlarge.

Someone who has, without a doubt, made a lasting impact is our cover star Ntate Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha. To have him gracing the cover of our Heritage edition is truly an honour.

With a decades-long career, Ntate Jerry has carved out a stellar career, which has included several acting awards and lifetime-achievement awards. During his interview with us, he exclusively shared something about his journey which will have you re-evaluating your life and the ways in which you face your struggles (page 30).

If those struggles seem a bit overwhelming at the moment, you are not alone. In one of the most important conversations features we have ever had, we look at death companioning and how to deal with some of the losses we have experienced over the course of this pandemic.

With the uncertainty of the new normal, one thing that has brought much comfort is nostalgia, which is why our feature celebrating growing up with ogogo bethu is definitely one of the highlights of the edition (page 18).

As we continue to traverse these “unprecedented times” (a phrase I never want to see again in post-pandemic emails), remember the old African proverb: “The best way to eat an elephant standing in your path, is to cut it up into small pieces.” Stay safe. xxx