Answer to Question #266342 in Sociology for mel

Question

Provide an analysis of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in SA holistically and

how this has, or still is shaping the South African society.

Answer 1

The impact of the corona virus pandemic on the South African economy and the health of its residents is evolving in real time. South Africa went into a hard lockdown quite early in the pandemic. During the hard lockdown, the SA residents were mostly confined to their homes, leaving very little need for proactive decision-making by individuals. The complete lockdown, however, was untenable, even with the fiscal relief measures put in place by the government. The economic implications of the nationwide shutdown made it unsustainable, with increasing levels of hunger, poverty and unemployment among the vulnerable sections of society.

Currently, many of the people in the richest households are able to continue to earn an income by working from home, and many will actually save money due to reduced expenditure on things like eating out, holidays, and entertainment. For others, in lower-paid formal employment, the lockdown has exposed many to the risk of losing their jobs. For this group, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) provides some temporary relief, but it has been beset by administrative failures. The people in SA have adapted to behavioral changes according to the WHO regulation since the outbreak of COVID-19.