A prolonged shutdown will destroy the informal sector and plunge more people into poverty
As SA reaches the halfway mark in its 21-day national lockdown, the trade-off that must soon be faced is becoming clearer: extend the lockdown to prevent infections or let people get back to work to avoid deepening poverty and crippling the economy.
Last week, when the government amended the lockdown regulations to allow informal food traders to reopen it in effect chose the second option. This could provide a signal about what it will do come April 16 when the lockdown is supposed to end.A subscription helps you enjoy the best of our business content every day along with benefits such as exclusive Financial Times articles, ProfileData financial data, and digital access to the Sunday Times and Times Select.
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