ABSTRACT
During the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Chinese government delayed confirmation of human-to-human transmission. A number of countries and territories in East Asia took action early on implementing measures that worked effectively to suppress their initial epidemics. Elsewhere, the pace of response was impeded by the WHO’s lack of urgency in declaring a pandemic and stark omissions in prevention guidance that set countries up for failure. South Africa’s response to COVID-19 in March 2020 included the declaration of a National State of Disaster and the imposition of lockdown measures. But unlike other African countries, various novel approaches were introduced. These included establishing a Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC), conducting a national community screening initiative, banning alcohol and tobacco product sales, and relaxing procurement arrangements to fast-track access to urgently needed services and supplies. These nuanced approaches rapidly went awry. The MAC lacked transparency and was biomedically focused. Community screening diverted test kits that were needed to control outbreaks and did little to clarify the extent of the epidemic in the country. The alcohol and tobacco bans benefited criminal gangs, harmed economic initiatives, and reduced tax revenues. Fast-track procurement arrangements provided a means for corrupt government officials to enrich themselves and their cronies. This chapter explores the early phases of South Africa’s epidemic response and explores lessons for the future.
