Post-pandemic, South Africa’s economy finds itself in a constrained fiscal environment yearning for economic growth. Without increased government spending, how can it rebuild itself in a way that reduces the uneven distribution of the pandemic’s burden? In this podcast, ERSA’s host is joined by Dr Channing Arndt, economist, head of the Environment and Production Technology Division (EPTD) at IFPRI, and co-author of the paper entitled “Building back fairer from the Covid-19 Pandemic in South Africa”. Implementing the structural reforms identified by National Treasury’s 77-pager strategy will vastly improve South Africa’s economic performance in the long run, but in this podcast we discuss relatively costless policy recommendations that can be carried out immediately. Exploring emotive issues like land reform, obesity, and the reasons behind a persistently increasing wage differential, which is a significant driver to inequality, Channing explains how we can leverage our existing infrastructure and environment to facilitate growth in the near future, where Covid-19 and its uncertainty remain. This podcast is highly recommended for policy makers wanting inspiration on how to make the most of our current economic climate.
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