As South Africa battles COVID-19, it is also dealing with a series of challenges on several fronts including the economy and jobs. 

The country has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. There are about 1.5 million reported cases and more than 48,000 people have died.

But there is some good news. On Wednesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa was among the first South Africans to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccination as the country launched its vaccination program.  The plan now is to vaccinate 40 million people- two thirds of the population. 

To discuss:

• Nhlanhla Sehume is a journalist and TV News Anchor.
• Gideon Chitanga is a political economist at Political Economy Southern Africa.
• Lawson Naidoo is Executive Secretary of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC).
• Vuyolwethu Zungula is President of the African Transformation Movement.

For More:

Overall, South Africa has secured nine million doses of the Johnson & Johnson jab. https://t.co/lu2B4t335s

— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) February 17, 2021

Two of the four key priorities in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address were; accelerating economic recovery, and implementing economic reforms to create sustainable jobs and drive inclusive growth.

WATCH: https://t.co/53qpqgJWId#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/huygS9DLpV

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) February 17, 2021

“The ANC wants to be a player in the modern global economy but then it is also moving towards the more statist and nationalist model. This is where the dilemma comes in,” says @RonakGopaldas.

Read more in our briefing on #SouthAfrica's economy.https://t.co/7iudWpoLdc

— African Business Magazine (@AfricanBizMag) February 17, 2021

South Africa has offered its stock of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines to the African Union, a senior health official said, as the country pivots to using shots developed by Johnson & Johnson instead https://t.co/Dw0uxUMFPf

— CNN (@CNN) February 17, 2021