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In South Africa, the focus on the COVID-19 pandemic was primarily directed at establishing the detrimental effects on the economic sector, including how to contain the spread of the virus. Limited attention was paid to how the pandemic affected those who work in the informal sector, particularly the sex industry. This article rests on the premise that while sex work has not been legalized in South Africa, it is nonetheless a vital source of income for those who work in the industry. The article used humanitarianism as a lens to explain the exclusion of sex workers from government social support programs. The article found that there were no designated social and economic programs for sex workers due to their occupation falling outside the legal beneficiary framework. The criminalization of commercial sex work exacerbated poverty and socio-economic desperation during the pandemic and also exposed them to operational risks that included exposure to COVID-19 ailments. Going forward, this article argues for the need to decriminalize commercial sex and the introduction of safety net programs to restore the dignity of sex workers and their livelihoods in the event of crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African street food industry is essential in elevating the socioeconomic standing of sellers. However, most studies on street food vending focused on perception, safety, consumption, and handling of street food. Therefore, it is necessary to fill this gap. The study explores street food vending contribution on poverty and unemployment in the Mahikeng Local Municipality. The study's goal was accomplished by using a mixed research methodology. A sample size of 401 respondents were selected for the study and data was obtained using structured, semi-structured and unstructured questionnaires. The study found that street food vending creates jobs not only for the people involved in the trade, but also for people who would otherwise be unemployed, for example, those who are retrenched. In addition, street food distribution has become a cornerstone for vendors to generate income to supplement family income that improved the standard of living of the vendors. Additionally, some vendors were able to acquire assets such as livestock and landed property from the profit made from the business, contributing to reducing poverty incidence among traders in the area. The paper concludes that street food vending has contributed in creating jobs thus, reducing poverty incidence. However, the street food industry continues to confront obstacles such as lack of cash and credit and location-based business restrictions. Therefore, in order for SFV to be effective, steps must be taken to minimise the difficulties affecting the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pre-Covid-19 world of work was rife with inequalities and difficulties, with more than 40 per cent of working-age South Africans unemployed. The majority of those in employment were barely able to eke out a living - between 20 per cent to 30 per cent were working in the informal economy, mostly without labour rights and social protection and earning low incomes that trapped them in poverty. The precarious nature of the South African labour market before the Covid-19 pandemic was characterised by casualisation, informalisation, and externalisation of work. This resulted in the reduction of the number of workers employed for definite periods and rising levels of precarious workers. This article investigates the precarious nature of work and the various work paradigms present in the South African labour market before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. New challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and new forms of work in the South African labour market are also considered, together with measures taken to address precarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]