Abstract
This study explored the impact of COVID-19 on governance in South Africa. This was done by using the following research question as a guideline: ‘How has COVID-19 shaped governance in South Africa? The study applied a qualitative research design that entailed a content analysis research approach via desktop analysis. In executing the content analysis approach, the study relied on both primary and secondary sources of data collection including books, journal articles, online newspaper articles and official government websites such as Stats SA, the National Department of Health and the World Health Organisation, official documents and reports. This study was guided by research objectives to analyse the South African response to Covid-19, to investigate the role of health governance and health regulation in the fight against COVID-19 and to deduce conclusions and make recommendations regarding the impact of Covid-19 on governance in South Africa.
The study found that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on governance in South Africa, both in terms of the government’s response to the crisis and its broader implications for governance and democratic processes. A standout impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is the unintentional, regrettable spin-offs which tainted governance and accountability mechanisms. Despite the shortcomings that were identified, the study found that the pandemic helped strengthen the institutional capacity of decision making. It is therefore recommended that governance best practice should be adhered to at all times. This should be done by instituting clearly defined responsibilities and duties of elected officials and private non-state actors for better accountability and governance decision making.
Keywords: Governance, Health governance, Health Regulation, COVID-19, South Africa