Click the video to watch the launch of the research report, which was held on Wednesday ,1 June, 2022 at Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, South Africa Office.

The panel discussion featured the key informants from the case studies, the researchers who wrote the report, as well as engagements from local activist youth.

The COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa illuminated how wide the gaps are in terms of economic policy and implementation, in relation to youth and their economic participation.

The pandemic, as well as the lockdowns imposed to stop the spread of the disease, caused widespread economic devastation. This worsened South Africa’s already stagnant and exclusionary economy, characterised by high unemployment and inequality.

In March 2020, the South African government imposed a strict lockdown (popularly known as lockdown level 5), where only the movement of essential workers was permissible. The effects of the lockdown on economic activity were immediate. As early as April 2020, people took to the streets to demand food parcels. The Social Relief of Distress (SRoD) Grant (ZAR 350) was given to unemployed South Africans, and it was undoubtedly one of the most effective social protection responses by government despite the many administrative challenges experienced.

The South African economy already severely excludes young people, and the pandemic further exposed the dimensions of this exclusion. These include gaps in: social protection, education, employment and mental wellbeing.

The report begins with short case studies of the experiences of young people, and how they navigated the economic challenges of the COVID-19 period. These young people were in the following sectors: waste reclaiming, retail, hospitality and entertainment, as well as restaurant and lifestyle. These case studies unpack the various ways these resilient young people adapted to their situations.

The case studies look at government interventions and the actions of other stakeholders, and how these young people took initiative to organise within their industries, and challenge the powers-that-be. The report also illuminated these young people’s views and prospects for the “post-pandemic” future.

The report then explores the socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people, using data and statistics. The report continues with a clearly explained economic history and analysis of the deeper causes of the ‘crisis before the crisis’. Finally, it closes off with recommendations for the way forward.