Working from anywhere: is South Africa ready?

Abstract

Academics have long advocated for remote working, citing the flexibility benefits for workers and the cost savings for employers. In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown requirements forced remote work upon South African employers and consequently accelerated our practice of, and thinking about, remote work. At the end of a difficult year, just when many institutions felt comfortable to start easing back into an office routine, a much worse second COVID-19 peak hit the country in December 2020.