SA needs to focus on how Covid-19 is reshaping its labour market
Four areas of the labour market will require scrutiny in the coming months: the informal economy; turbulence and job churn; increasing capital intensity; and gender and work
The full economic damage caused by Covid-19 and the lockdowns is uncertain. It will take several months, indeed years, to have a better understanding of where the damage has occurred and how severe it is. While the magnitudes are uncertain, it is already clear that we will see a sharp decline in incomes, rising unemployment, and widespread business closures.
SA, in particular, needs to keep a close eye on all aspects of the labour market so that policy responses can support those most in need. Recent work (https://www.wits.ac.za/media/wits-university/faculties-and-schools/commerce-law-and-management/research-entities/scis/documents/SCIS%20Working%20Paper%204.pdf) has highlighted (https://www.ifpri.org/publication/impact-covid-19-south-african-economy-initial-analysis) the enormous impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown on the lives of working people (https://theconversation.com/how-south-africa-can-best-balance-control-of-covid-19-and-avoid-economic-disaster-139355)....
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