South Africa, Covid-19 and the Social Contract

This research paper by Mbongiseni Buthelezi examines how the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent hard lockdown in March 2020 exposed and exacerbated existing social, economic, and political fault lines in South Africa. The author analyzes the state's response, the role of the military and police, the emergence of corruption in PPE and food relief procurement, and the evolving relationship between the government, business, and civil society.

• The Covid-19 pandemic and the March 2020 lockdown revealed severe systemic issues in South Africa, including widespread food poverty, the prevalence of gender-based violence, and the state's reliance on military and police force to ensure compliance.
• The pandemic caused a severe economic contraction, with GDP falling by 16% in the second quarter of 2020 and approximately 2 million jobs lost during the same period. Unemployment was already high, exceeding 27% in conservative official figures prior to the crisis, and reached around 29.1% in the last quarter of 2019.
• Corruption permeated the emergency response, specifically regarding the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) and water tanks. In June 2020, it was revealed that large PPE contracts were awarded to companies linked to bureaucrats and politicians from the ruling African National Congress (ANC), often at inflated prices.
• The deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to enforce lockdown regulations led to instances of state brutality. A notable example is the death of Collins Khosa on 10 April 2020, who was assaulted by soldiers at his home in Alexandra, Johannesburg.
• The crisis highlighted a polarized relationship between the state, business, and civil society. While the government and business collaborated closely through initiatives like the Solidarity Fund, social justice-focused civil society groups, such as the C19 People’s Coalition, often operated on the margins, resorting to litigation and protest.
• The lockdown disproportionately affected low-income populations due to overcrowded housing in townships and informal settlements, and a lack of basic water infrastructure in regions such as Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape.

APA

Buthelezi, M. (2020). South Africa, Covid-19 and the Social Contract. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/south-africa-covid-19-social-contract/

Chicago

Buthelezi, Mbongiseni. South Africa, Covid-19 and the Social Contract. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2020. https://pari.org.za/south-africa-covid-19-social-contract/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Buthelezi |first1=Mbongiseni |title=South Africa, Covid-19 and the Social Contract |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=27 October 2020 |url=https://pari.org.za/south-africa-covid-19-social-contract/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{buthelezi2020south, author = {Buthelezi, Mbongiseni}, title = {{South Africa, Covid-19 and the Social Contract}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2020}, month = oct, url = {https://pari.org.za/south-africa-covid-19-social-contract/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }