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Is there space in South Africa for a democratic politics of life in response to Covid-19?

By Andries du Toit and Diana Mitlin More than sixty days after its commencement, South Africa is cautiously easing its way out of one of the most sweeping lockdowns of the global Covid 19 pandemic.  In many ways, this new phase—‘Level 3’ of the South African government’s risk-adjusted pandemic response—is turning out to be a confusing and ambiguous new time; …
PLAAS
June 11, 2020
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Lockdown challenges for land reform beneficiaries

By Nkanyiso Gumede Smallholder farmers and land reform beneficiaries have been greatly affected by the lockdown in South Africa since it began on 26 March 2020. Lockdown meant less mobility for these farmers and a drop in demand for produce, which meant a loss of income. These farmers mainly supply to informal markets, which include bakkie traders, street vendors, hawkers,…
PLAAS
June 10, 2020
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Policies and lifestyles need update in face of Covid-19

By Epiphania Ngowi and Emmanuel Sulle As we continue to face huge impacts of this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, not only on our lifestyles but also our approaches, strategies, and policies to combat this pandemic must swiftly change as the need arises. Globally, leaders keep revising their strategies as they grapple with the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on lives of the…
PLAAS
April 18, 2020
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Zimbabwe’s Covid-19 lockdown: Ensuring the right to food for the poor

By Phillan Zamchiya, Dewa Mavhinga, Thando Gwinji, Arnold Chamunogwa and Claris Madhuku The Covid-19 global pandemic poses serious challenges to fragile countries such as Zimbabwe, which have weak health systems and constrained social assistance programmes. Such countries must formulate and implement measures to tackle the unfolding public health crisis without plunging millions of people into starvation. This is the challenge…
PLAAS
April 14, 2020
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Water and sanitation in the face of Covid-19 in Cape Town’s townships and informal settlements

By Mafaniso Hara, Bongani Ncube, Darlington Sibanda Ever since the 21-day national lockdown to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus came into effect, reports indicate that the lockdown may have worsened the already existing inequalities in access to water and sanitation services in townships, informal settlements and among the homeless. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), water, sanitation…
PLAAS
April 8, 2020
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Covid-19: The impact on small-scale fishers—A perspective from Ocean View

By Charles America, Joseph Ginindza and Moenieba Isaacs   The Covid-19 pandemic actually just further illustrates how insignificant and how severely neglected we, as small-scale fishers, are as a legitimate fisheries resource user-group.” — Charles America, veteran fisher and activist from Ocean View Charles situates his discontentment in the failed policies and lack of policy implementation in the privatisation of…
PLAAS
April 7, 2020