Modelling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on South African livelihoods
International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy
ISSN: 0144-333X
Article publication date: 28 September 2021
Issue publication date: 23 September 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced declining economic prospects and accompanying economic shocks present socioeconomic vulnerabilities for developing economies at the tranches of poverty, unemployment and minimal social security. South Africa is one of the countries that have the most precarious societies in developing nations due to the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality. As such, this paper investigates the impact of the pandemic on South African livelihoods.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses secondary data obtained from the National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) Wave 1 dataset to analyse the impact of COVID-19 on South African livelihoods.
Findings
The findings reveal that COVID-19 amplified the country's poor and vulnerable population's socioeconomic conditions because of the stringent Level 5 lockdown regulations that barred low-income households from making a livelihood. It further revealed that low-income households, who are the least educated, Black African, female and marginalized, were disproportionally socioeconomically affected by losing the main household income.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited in that it used secondary quantitative data that relied on a telephonic survey during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
Practical implications
This study offers a policy suggestion that increasing social grants during the pandemic will not have any significant impact on the livelihoods of many South Africans unless distributional inequalities are reduced.
Social implications
The government needs to develop welfarist policies to protect the most vulnerable in society to limit the socioeconomic impact of pandemics and take proactive policy measures to reduce unemployment and income inequalities in the country.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to understanding the precarious nature of low-income households.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The support of the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development towards this research/activity is hereby acknowledged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of the authors and are not necessarily to be attributed to the CoE in Human Development.
Funding: This work was supported by the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Human Development [grant number ACC2020-COVIDHD-2]
Citation
Simon, B.A. and Khambule, I. (2022), "Modelling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on South African livelihoods", International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 42 No. 11/12, pp. 926-948. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-04-2021-0099
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited