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The livelihood impacts of COVID-19 in urban South Africa: A view from below

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  • Simone Schotte
  • Rocco Zizzamia

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related policy measures on livelihoods in urban South Africa. Using qualitative research methods, we analyse two rounds of semi-structured phone interviews, conducted between June and September 2020 in the township of Khayelitsha, Cape Town. We contextualise these by presenting a snapshot of the nationwide dynamics using quantitative panel data. Our findings describe how the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened the economic vulnerability which preceded the crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Simone Schotte & Rocco Zizzamia, 2021. "The livelihood impacts of COVID-19 in urban South Africa: A view from below," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-56, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2021-56
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Martin Gustafsson, 2020. "How does South Africa’s Covid-19 response compare globally? A preliminary analysis using the new OxCGRT dataset," Working Papers 07/2020, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    2. Zizzamia, Rocco, 2020. "Is employment a panacea for poverty? A mixed-methods investigation of employment decisions in South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    3. Rachel M. Gisselquist & Anustup Kundu, 2020. "Horizontal inequality, COVID-19, and lockdown readiness: Evidence from India," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2020-156, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Haroon Bhorat & Tim Köhler, 2020. "Social assistance during South Africa’s national lockdown: Examining the COVID-19 grant, changes to the Child Support Grant, and post-October policy options," Working Papers 202009, University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit.
    5. Vimal Ranchhod & Reza Daniels, 2020. "Labour market dynamics in South Africa in the time of COVID-19: Evidence from wave 1 of the NIDS-CRAM survey," SALDRU Working Papers 265, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    6. Ronak Jain & Joshua Budlender & Rocco Zizzamia & Ihsaan Bassier, 2020. "Locked down and locked out: Repurposing social assistance as emergency relief to informal workers," SALDRU Working Papers 264, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    7. Bassier, Ihsaan & Budlender, Joshua & Zizzamia, Rocco & Leibbrandt, Murray & Ranchhod, Vimal, 2021. "Locked down and locked out: Repurposing social assistance as emergency relief to informal workers," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    8. Schotte, Simone & Zizzamia, Rocco & Leibbrandt, Murray, 2018. "A poverty dynamics approach to social stratification: The South African case," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 88-103.
    9. Gabrielle Wills & Servaas van der Berg & Leila Patel & Bokang Mpeta, 2020. "Household resource flows and food poverty during South Africa’s lockdown: Short-term policy implications for three channels of social protection," Working Papers 22/2020, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    10. Balde, Racky & Boly, Mohamed & Avenyo, Elvis, 2020. "Labour market effects of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa: An informality lens from Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal," MERIT Working Papers 2020-022, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    11. Daniela Casale & Debra Shepherd, 2020. "The gendered effects of the ongoing lockdown and school closures in South Africa: Evidence from NIDS-CRAM Waves 1 and 2," Working Papers 21/2020, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
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