ABSTRACT
When the wave of Covid-19 reached South Africa's shores between February and March 2020, the country was already in an economically vulnerable situation. This chapter explores the legislation and institutions for public health and emergencies and traces the Covid-19 response at each level of government. While South Africa has a robust legislative framework and institutions for cooperative government, the centre absorbed powers and also within the national government in the form of the National Coronavirus Command Council. The pandemic response entailed a centralisation of power that made the subnational governments’ implementers rather than partners within the constitutional framework of cooperative government. As implementers, provinces’ and local government's performance was uneven. Also, corruption in the spending of funds earmarked for health and other measures marred the performance of government at all levels.
