Comparative Perspectives on Zimbabwe and South Africa’s Social Policy Response to covid-19

Zimbabwe and South Africa have been burdened by the challenges of poverty and inequality, a consequence of their historical legacy and post-colonial developmental challenges. To counter these, the development and adoption of progressive social policies has been witnessed. In 2020, the social policy architecture of both countries was put to the test by the covid-19 pandemic. What has been the social policy response to covid-19 by the two countries and how effective has it been? This is the major question which this article addresses, utilising the transformative social policy framework as a conceptual and heuristic tool to undertake a comparative analysis of social policy responses to covid-19. It shows that responses crystallised around cash transfers, food mitigation and health interventions. Although timely, these interventions proved inadequate in addressing the welfare needs of citizens. The article highlights the limitations of the current social policy paradigm in mitigating covid-19-induced shocks and reducing vulnerability.