Wits School of Governance (ETDs)

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37944

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.COVID-19

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Survival strategies after job losses in female-headed households during COVID-19
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Masinga, Pertunia; Mackett, Odile
    This study provides an analysis of the effect of COVID-19 on female-headed households, who lost their jobs during the pandemic and how have they stayed afloat. The effects of COVID-19 did not fall equally on both men and women, and some researchers suggest that it is because jobs that were affected were occupied by mostly women (Casale & Shepherd, 2021). The study conducted a qualitative interview with 15 participants to gain an understanding of the survival strategies employed by female- headed households after job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and how these households stayed afloat. Findings from the study indicated that after job loss during the pandemic female- headed houses faced everyday struggles for survival. Different strategies for survival have been developed by these households consisting of starting food gardens and using a discretionary method for reducing expenses to feed their families. These households relied on social grants, informal jobs, and financial assistance as a source of household income during the pandemic. This study revealed that to survive during the pandemic without an income and providing for the needs of the family, female-headed households used a variety of strategies. Therefore, this study provides insight and understanding into the survival strategies employed by these households during the time of COVID-19.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The socio-economic effect ofcovid-19 on households in Epworth, Harare
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mashatise, Memory Tinotenda; Pillay, Pundy
    This research report explores how COVID-19 impacted households on a socioeconomic level. Epworth, a peri-urban suburb of Harare, was the study's research location. This study focuses on the Southern African context, where social distancing and lockdowns implemented by governments in order to curb the spread ofthe COVID-19 pandemic in the year(s) 2020, 2021, as well as 2022. Most specifically,the government of Zimbabwe, being the government, this study focuses on implemented measures that had persistent negative socioeconomic effect on households by disrupting livelihoods, businesses, and other sources of income. Sucheffects were not only experienced during COVID-19, but also in the after of the pandemic. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs was utilized as a theoretical foundation to frame the research in examining how the COVID-19 epidemic affected Epworth households. The premise of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory emphasizes the value of human needs and how implemented regulations led to scenarios where citizens lost opportunities for economic survival and stability for their individual and households' material well-being. Consequently, such a crucial point is well placed within Maslow's identified need for safety, and security. Literature reviewed specified that the weakened economy and social problems in Zimbabwe, such as unemployment, poverty, inadequate healthcare, and a lack of supplies for COVID-19 treatment, predominantly exacerbated the pandemic's adverse effects. Semi- structured interviews with 15 breadwinners in Epworth aged 18 to 64 were used for qualitative research. After interview transcription, the data was examined through thematic analysis. The findings of the research demonstrated the need for better access to essential services in the sense that the majority of individuals experienced restricted access to such services as a result of implemented lockdowns. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic's detrimental effects on people's freedom of association, mobility, people began adopting strategies including returning to live with relatives and lowering expenses. Furthermore, self-employed and employed people were found to have been severely affected by the outbreak of the pandemic. To support youth, notably breadwinners for children whose parents lost their lives and jobs due to COVID-19 effects, It is recommended that that the business sector and government authorities ought to create economic opportunities. Lastly, it is ii recommended that breadwinners diversify their sources of income.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The Impact of COVID-19 on Jobs, Skills and Skills Development in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Leeuw, Lucinda
    The scale of the COVID-19 pandemic has no equivalent in modern history. The pandemic has tested the economic and social resolve of the economies across the world. It has altered the world of work and accelerated the adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in society, the economy and across sectors. For South Africa to prepare for the future, the changing world of work and learning must be understood in the South African context. An assessment of the pandemic’s implications on jobs, skills and overall skills development is crucial for the economic growth of the country. Skills development and education have always been considered critical in addressing South Africa’s triple challenge of poverty, inequality and unemployment. However, the pandemic also presents a window of opportunity to review existing trends in the economy, development and policy to ensure that present challenges do not become permanent, unsolvable problems in the country. It is therefore important to understand the social and economic context of the pandemic on education, skills and jobs—as a means towards sustainable growth—in an unfolding, dynamic and digital environment. One way for the country to carve a path out of the chaos wrought by the COVID-19 crisis is the pursuit of knowledge-creation in crucial areas of development and economics. This research, through the analysis of recent data, identifies pressure points for the South African economy and skills system. The research also identifies areas of opportunity for responsiveness and the sustainability of jobs, skills and skills development in South Africa given the scale of the social and economic change induced by the 2020 crisis
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Foreign direct investment and economic growth in South Africa during the Covid-19 era
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023-03) Chigeza, Tinotenda Lina; Pillay, Pundy
    Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been an essential source of sustainable and inclusive economic growth in South Africa. The need to attract FDI to boost economic growth, create employment opportunities, and supplement domestic expenditure is embedded in South Africa's past and present economic policies and frameworks. FDI can bring numerous benefits to various stakeholders including the host country government, which gains increased tax revenues; local businesses through partnerships and supply opportunities and local communities through improved infrastructure development and access to resources and services. FDI inflows to South Africa have been volatile over the past decade, with periods of significant inflows followed by downturns. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on the South African economy, leading to a decrease in FDI inflows and a contraction in GDP. This report provides an overview of FDI inflows in South Africa, its contribution to economic growth, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on FDI in South Africa. The report reviews existing literature on the relationship between FDI and economic growth and discusses the factors influencing FDI inflows to South Africa. Furthermore, the report examines the measures implemented by the South African government to attract FDI. To truly promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth the South African government must address the challenges investors face, such as policy uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and infrastructure limitations. Furthermore, the government must channel efforts into empowering local businesses, improving education and healthcare, and investing in infrastructure that benefits all citizens. While FDI can bring some advantages, it should not come at the cost of neglecting domestic initiatives that foster self-reliance and equitable development. The report recommends that the government should promote sectors with high potential for FDI, such as renewable energy, and ensure that FDI contributes to technology transfer and knowledge sharing with domestic industries. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted FDI, but the country has the potential to recover and attract long-term FDI in the future
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Impact of buyisa ubuntu food bank on livelihoods of kagiso residents during covid-19
    (University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Sekhokoane, Lindeni; Pillay, Pundy
    Food banks are set up as an option when governments are unable to safeguard the food security of their citizens. They intend to ease the numerous threats related to food insecurity. However, the ability of food banks to advance general food security outcomes is limited, even though they have a significant part to play in providing rapid solutions to extreme food dearth. They are meant to be a temporary way out for households that are destitute but a key to attaining food security. The aim of the study is to explore the impact of Buyisa Ubuntu Food Bank on beneficiaries during COVID-19, as well as to understand the coping strategies of these beneficiaries in the midst of the pandemic. Also, the purpose is to determine the extent to which the skills development program has empowered beneficiaries. In order to achieve this, the study sought to determine a) The difference that the Buyisa Ubuntu Food Bank has made to beneficiaries' lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, b) the extent to which the Buyisa Ubuntu Food Bank skills development programme has empowered beneficiaries, c) the coping strategies that were used by the beneficiaries in the absence of the food bank services. The study found that the food bank use in Kagiso Township is due to dire economic difficulties out of the immediate domain of control of beneficiaries, such as poverty and unemployment. The coping strategies utilised by beneficiaries in the absence of food bank services are unsustainable. In an attempt to address the issue of unemployment among the beneficiaries, structural theories of poverty suggest that macroeconomic policy, which stimulates economic growth, both locally and internationally, should also be seen as the key solution for sustainable job opportunities. The findings of the study further revealed that the Buyisa Ubuntu Food Bank made a financial difference in the lives of the beneficiaries through volunteerism and employment. Again, the skills offered at the skills development programme made a difference in the lives of some of the beneficiaries. However, the study found that the choice of skills in this programme is limited, and some skills are not of interest to beneficiaries. It is therefore recommended that the Buyisa Ubuntu Food Bank provides an avenue for beneficiaries to voice their expectations. It is also recommended that iv higher institutions of learning and businesses join forces to provide a variety of skills for people who are food insecure. Buyisa Ubuntu Food Bank faced some distribution challenges, as a result, beneficiaries received food once in three months instead of three consecutive months. This negatively affects the impact of the Buyisa Food Bank on the lives of beneficiaries. To address the food distribution challenges, it is recommended that the Buyisa Ubuntu Food Bank sticks to the standard operating procedure manual, which states that once the beneficiary is approved, the food needs to be distributed to them for threeconsecutive months.