Official Launch of the South Africa Covid-19 Country Report: First Edition

On 30 June 2022, the Minister in the Presidency, Mr Mondli Gungubele, officially launched the first edition of the South Africa Covid-19 Country Report during an event hosted at the National Research Foundation’s (NRF) offices in Pretoria. The study, aimed at measuring interventions adopted by Government in partnership with social partners to manage, respond to and combat the spread of Covid-19, was commissioned by the South African Government through the Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), the Government Technical Advisory (GTAC) and the NRF.

During the event, the Minister noted that the immediate value of the research was derived during the research process, wherein a space was provided for interactions among the researchers and practitioners from various disciplines and capacities to build the South African narrative on the Covid-19. The Minister further acknowledged the contributions made by the researchers in partnership with GTAC, NRF and the DPME in producing the report. The Minister highlighted that “The South African Government will forever be grateful to all who have been on the frontline every single day fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.” Speaking during the event, Dr Beverley Damonse, Group Executive: Science Engagement at the NRF, stressed the need for increased partnerships between government and academics, noting that it is only through mutual collaboration across multiple sectors and regions, that we can effectively respond to the many challenges faced by society. The critical need for increased partnership between academia and government was further highlighted by Ms Ronette Engela, acting CEO of GTAC.

As part of the initiative, more than 80 experts from multiple disciplines participated in developing the report. The initiative brought together over 30 institutions, including universities, research councils, academies, private sector, and government entities from South Africa and beyond. A series of validation workshops were hosted for the experts to share early findings and solicit inputs from a wider audience comprising of stakeholders from relevant sectors. All the chapters were also peer reviewed by subject matter experts from academia and government. The report was further tabled to Governance, State Capacity, and Institutional Development (GSCID) DG Cluster International Cooperation, Trade and Security (ICTS) Cluster, the Forum of South African Directors-General (FOSAD), as part of the consultive process.

The First Edition of the Covid-19 Country Report covers the first and second waves of the Covid-19 pandemic, from March 2020 to March 2021. 

Click here to view the report.