5 years since Covid-19 landed in SA – Has the South African economy fully recovered?

Loading player...
GUEST – Duma Gqubule is research associate at the Social Policy Initiative.
It has been five years since South Africa, like the rest of the world, went into lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. The economic impact was swift and severe, with businesses shutting down, job losses mounting, and GDP plummeting. While the country has since reopened and economic activity has resumed, the question remains—has South Africa’s economy fully recovered? In this interview, we take a closer look at the state of the economy today, the sectors that have bounced back, those still struggling, and the lasting effects of the pandemic.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the South African economy has shown signs of recovery, reaching pre-pandemic challenges including high unemployment, inequality, and vulnerabilities to external economic shocks.
6 Mar 2025 6AM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

South Africa's Car Buyers Defy Economic Pressure

Despite higher interest rates, rising fuel prices and growing living costs, South Africa's vehicle market continues to show remarkable resilience. Thanda Sithole, Senior Economist at FNB and WesBank, unpacks what strong vehicle sales reveal about consumer confidence, how buyers are adapting to affordability pressures, the rise of new-energy vehicles, and…
12 Nov 12PM 13 min

The Economics of Diabetes

Ahead of World Diabetes Day, Sara Norcross, VP and General Manager of Novo Nordisk South Africa, joins Kaya Biz to discuss the growing burden of diabetes and its impact beyond healthcare. From workplace productivity and economic growth to treatment access and prevention, the conversation explores why diabetes should be viewed…
12 Nov 12PM 20 min

Protecting Yourself in the Age of Digital Scams

Online scams are becoming more sophisticated and increasingly difficult to detect. Sylvia Musalagani, Head of Safety Policy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Meta, discusses the growing threat of digital fraud, Meta's anti-scam initiatives, and how partnerships with local institutions are helping consumers identify and avoid online scams…
12 Nov 11AM 10 min

South Africa's Capital Puzzle

South Africa has no shortage of capital, yet economic growth remains elusive. Jurie Strydom, CEO of Old Mutual, joins Kaya Biz to unpack why the challenge may not be attracting investment, but deploying existing capital into productive sectors of the economy. The conversation explores investor confidence, policy certainty, infrastructure constraints…
12 Nov 11AM 7 min

Reading South Africa's Economic Pulse

South Africa's economic activity weakened again in October, but there are emerging signs that pressure on households and businesses may begin to ease. Independent economist Elize Kruger unpacks the latest PayInc Economic Index, the fuel price outlook, consumer behaviour, business confidence and the key economic trends to watch heading into…
11 Nov 12PM 10 min