Study by Gauteng Province Department of Social Development on the effects and Implications of COVID-19 and Lockdown

The Department of Social Development (DSD) in the Gauteng Province commissioned Strategic Analytics & Management (SAM) between March and August 2022 to document the impacts of Covid-19 and the lockdowns on residents of Gauteng province to draw recommendations on implications for planning, programming, and service delivery in the event of future pandemics. The study was conducted in order to examine the short-, medium- and long-term effects of Covid-19 and lockdowns on poverty levels, food security, unemployment, health, education and developmental social services.

The study employed a mixed methods research design wherein the quantitative study exploited already available data from other studies, while the qualitative study used primary data including Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and a Case Study. The two studies that were used for the secondary quantitative data were the Gauteng Quality of Life (QoL) Survey1 conducted by the Gauteng City Region Observatory (GCRO), and the National Income Dynamics (NIDS) Coronavirus Rapid Mobile (CRAM) survey conducted by a team of renowned academics at Stellenbosch University, University of Cape Town, University of Witwatersrand, together with NIDS Working groups. By analysing the secondary data and the primary qualitative data, the researchers were able to triangulate the findings to generate insights in response to the objectives of the study.

Key recommendations from the study included Development of standard operating procedures (“blue for key interventions based on lessons learned from the Disaster management response; adopt Mobile digital technology for continuity of essential package of health and social services in the event of lockdowns; Establishment of systems for gathering and sharing data in real time to support prompt decision making across sectors; prioritise investment in resilience of vulnerable communities to access essential package of health and social services in the event of lockdowns; and invest in mental health as part of a comprehensive employees Wellness Program to ensure a resilient workforce to cope with surge in extra work during pandemics.