Approaches to safeguarding livelihoods during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge that has exposed poor people and other vulnerable groups to socio-economic challenges such as food insecurity and income losses. The purpose of the article is to explore livelihood strategies used during the pandemic in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Using grey literature of 46 newspaper articles, the authors undertook a systematic literature review. The review focused on the immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods and the strategies used to safeguard livelihoods in the Eastern Cape Province. Results show that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the income and food position of the poor in the province. In response, the government, businesses, non-profit organisations (NPOs) and individuals intervened to mitigate the impact on livelihoods. The strategic interventions were intended to alleviate income losses and food insecurity. The article recommends innovative food distribution services using biometric information and the development of databases of the informal sector for inclusive development.