The Pandemic Images from my news agency coverage.

South Africa has, like the majority of the planet, has been seriously effected by the Covid-19 Corona Virus. While covering the pandemic for EPA Photos I concentrated on 2 main areas of the country.

First and foremost is Johannesburg, where I am based, and secondly the barren Karoo in the countries interior; where I traveled to record the effect of the virus on the rural communities.

This body of work is an edit of my daily production for the EPA Photos news wire from both Johannesburg and the Karoo and looks at the effect of the virus on not only the taking of human life but the effects on the economy, food shortages, burial rituals and the daily life of people trying to survive this extraordinary pandemic.

Pandemic / Virus / Food shortages / Funerals / Lockdown

Family members wearing full PPE suites carry the remains of their beloved elderly family member who died as a result of the elderly Covid-19 Corona virus at a graveyard on the 119 day of lockdown due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 24 July 2020. The un-named elderly lady was 84 years old and died at a state Hospital. South Africa has just reached the 450 000 infection mark from the pandemic accounting for almost two thirds of all cases registered to date in Africa and the fifth country with the highest number of infections worldwide.

Homeless man Lwando Tyida (31) prays to God for help in his situation at a homeless shelter on day 10 of the national lockdown following President Cyril Ramaphosa declaration of a National Disaster as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Pretoria, South Africa, 06 April 2020. There are an estimated 10 000 homeless in Pretoria area. Various shelters have been set up ranging from sports grounds to a municipal hall.

Undertaker David Molofo sterilizes his vehicle after collecting a suspected Covid-19 Corona virus victim from a private house at the Avbob undertakers Germiston branch on the 116 day of lockdown due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 21 July 2020. Because of the widespread effects of the virus AVBOB now teats every case as a possible infection. When a call comes in, protective suits, face masks, face shields are prepared. The body must be removed, prepared for safe transport, legal documentation closed, and the funeral arranged within three days. The mortal remains must be sealed in three plastic bags: the first two are transparent so that they allow the identification of the deceased only by opening the third. Ironically AVBOB was born 102 years ago in response to the previous pandemic: the "Spanish Flu" of 1918, which affected a third of humanity and killed between 50 and 100 million people. The soldiers who fought in World War I (1914-1918) inadvertently brought this virus to South Africa on their return from Europe.

A women gets tested by a health care professional during a local government mass testing deployment in the high density Alexandra township on day 32 of the national lockdown as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 27 April 2020. Stage 5 lockdown is due to end 30 April 2020 when stage 4 will be implemented.

Local grave digger, Romio Bardman, digs another grave in the local towns grave yard Graaff Reinet, South Africa, 12 June 2020. Romia has seen 3 Covid-19 Corona virus victims buried in this grave yard. The deceased have to be buried within 3 days of dying. Romia digs normal graves the depth of his shoulders but has to dig corona graves above his head. The virus has taken many more lives in this huge, open and dry expanse of South Africa.

Some of the 16 children who live at the tiny house that is Christina's House of Hope huddle together in the winter cold after receiving blankets from NGO Gift of the Givers, Willowmore, South Africa, 12 June 2020. The children's home gets no local government help at all and relies on NGO or personal donations from individuals. Many of the children suffer from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome leaving the children impaired and often under developed. This condition is common in the district that has high alcohol abuse levels. the lockdown implemented by the national government to flatten the curve of infections in South Africa already has a major impact on the region.

Family members put on their white protective gloves as they approach the coffin of their relative prior to taking it from the AVBOB hearse to the grave during the funeral of an un-named Covid-19 Corona virus victim at a graveyard near Katlehong township on the 118 day of lockdown due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 23 July 2020. Harsh government lockdown rules only allow less than 50 people at any funeral with social distancing being critical. This negatively effected the black communities of South Africa who often have elaborate funerals that often involve entire communities. During level 5 lockdown this was not allowed as funerals where limited to less than 50 people.

A man is arrested by the metro police for breaking the lockdown laws during a joint South African Police Services (SAPS) and South African National Defense Force (SANDF) patrol on day 31 of the national lockdown as a result of the ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 April 2020. The patrol was in the high density areas of Hillbrow and Yoeville where civilians are still breaking the strict lockdown rules. Those that where breaking the rules where arrested. South Africa's Stage 5 lockdown is due to end 30 April 2020 when stage 4 will be implemented.

Children play together while the adults queue for food during a food handout by Meals SA on day 53 of the national lockdown as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 20 May 2020. Food insecurity is one of the main issues facing the country since the start of lockdown.

A child sits in the back of a pickup out of the winter cold as ex military men and their families wait on a dirt field for a food hand out from NGO Gift of the Givers, Willowmore, South Africa, 12 June 2020. Local businesses like hunting, tourism, and farming have seen massive job losses, which had a domino effect on the already poor communities. One job loss means that an entire family is affected because most households only have one breadwinner. Many local farms had to lay off their workers who have now moved from the remote farms to the towns to seek food and employment.

A workers stands amongst some of the stuffed animals at a local taxidermy in Graaff Reinet, South Africa, 12 June 2020. The lockdown has in effected halted the local hunting industry and one of the connected industries that has been effected is taxidermy. Many of the hunters who come the region to hunt are foreign hunters bringing in much needed foreign currency.

A man holds his hands in the air as a policeman checks his vehicle during SAPS (South African Police Force) operations to enforce the level 3 national lockdown in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa, 31 December 2020. The level 3 lockdown was implemented due to second wave of infections sweeping across the country many of which are cases of a new variant of the Corivd-19 Corona virus 501.v2, a mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant which holds a higher transmission rate. South Africa is the first African nation to pass one million infections.

Homeless man Werner Wolter (58) reads his book in the back of one of the two cars him and his partner Vanessa have been living in for the past month near a railway track in Lyttelton on day 8 of the national lockdown following President Cyril Ramaphosa declaration of a National Disaster as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Pretoria, South Africa, 03 April 2020. Werner and thousands of others are amongst the most vulnerable to the effects of the Covid-19 Coronavirus not having safe environment's to live in for the national lockdown. There are an estimated 10 000 homeless in Pretoria area.

Family members wearing full PPE suites prepare tp carry the remains of their beloved elderly family member who died as a result of the elderly Covid-19 Corona virus at a graveyard on the 119 day of lockdown due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 24 July 2020. One of the biggest social issue of the pandemic and burying of relatives was the family and freinds where restricted to less than 50 people at the funerals.

Members of the SAP (South African Police Force) instruct citizens to stand in line according to the social distances regulations on day 2 of the 21 day national lockdown following President Cyril Ramaphosa declaration of a National Disaster as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 28 March 2020. South Africa Police forces paroled the streets in downtown to enforce the rules and regulations of the lockdown. The national lockdown declared by President Ramaphosa on 23 March 2020 will start Thursday 26 March 2020 at midnight and continue for 21 days.

Homeless man Abraham Oliphant (32) sits waiting for breakfast to be served at a homeless shelter in the Municipal hall in Lyttelton on day 8 of the national lockdown following President Cyril Ramaphosa declaration of a National Disaster as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Pretoria, South Africa, 03 April 2020. There are an estimated 10 000 homeless in Pretoria area.

A delivery truck off loads more coffins at the Avbob undertakers Germiston branch on the 116 day of lockdown due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 21 July 2020. Avbob has its own centralized coffin factory in Bloemfontein that delivers coffins to its hundreds of branches around the country.

Widower Colette Leslie (46) and her two children, Curtley (L) and Adreulishe (R) pray at the graveside of their late father Captain Adrrew Leslie, Middleburg, South Africa, 14 June 2020. Captain Leslie died from the Covid-19 Corona virus a month earlier and was the first victim of the virus in the town. Be was acting station commander of the local police station. In the barren expanses of the Karoo (Great dry land) in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, a perfect storm of circumstances has had a major and devastating effect on the local people.
Three months of Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown, a harsh seven-year drought, and ongoing impact of the general economic slowdown over the past years along with an ill-prepared local and provincial government have left the vast majority of the local people under financial, physical and spiritual pressure.

Members of the public stand with candles during a memorial for victims of the Covid-19 Corona virus on New Year's eve who have died in the city during 2020, Johannesburg, South Africa, 31 December 2020. The vigil was organized by the city of Johannesburg. Level 3 lockdown was implemented last week due to second wave of infections sweeping across the country many of which are cases of a new variant of the Corivd-19 Corona virus 501.v2, a mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant which holds a higher transmission rate. South Africa is the first African nation to pass 1 million infections.

Homeless man Owen Barnard stands in the middle of the road looking for food on day 2 of the national lockdown following President Cyril Ramaphosa declaration of a National Disaster as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 28 March 2020. Owen like thousands of others living on the streets of Johannesburg are in a precarious position as they are being told to leave the streets by police forces however there are not enough shelters to support them. Thousands of South African's living on the fringes of society have been drastically effected by the national lockdown that has lasted months. Most effected are the homeless, drug addicts and those people living in shanty towns.

Sally Webster holds her newly born 'corona baby' Emily, in her tiny house in Nieu Bethesda, South Africa, 11 June 2020. Sally has 5 other children of her own and relies on hand outs to get her through this period of lockdown. NGO Gift of the Givers visited the town to give the local mothers who gave birth during the lockdown children's food, nappies and blankets.

A man gets his temperature tested by a health care professional during a local government mass testing deployment in the high density Alexandra township on day 32 of the national lockdown as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 27 April 2020. Stage 5 lockdown is due to end 30 April 2020 when stage 4 will be implemented.

An elderly woman gets her vaccination during the first day of Covid-19 vaccinations for the over 60 year old population in the country, in Johannesburg, South Africa, 17 May 2021. The first round of vaccinations was for the health care workers in the country. South Africa is lagging behind many countries in the world in its vaccination program.

Some of the thousands of residents wait in a queue to be tested while health care professional take a break during a local government mass testing deployment in the high density Alexandra township on day 32 of the national lockdown as a result of Covid-19 Coronavirus, Johannesburg, South Africa, 27 April 2020. Stage 5 lockdown is due to end 30 April 2020 when stage 4 will be implemented.