The lockdowns that were instituted in response to the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged economies around the world. About 3-million South Africans lost their jobs, and half as many were furloughed.

Social protection mechanisms of even the richest countries were put under strain, and many countries, including SA, introduced new forms of social grants or other means of social relief. But these mechanisms couldn’t prevent a sharp rise in poverty, nor could new highs of public spending by even the most conservative fiscal regimes...

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