Humanistic Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Informal Sector in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Antecedent evidence suggests that Zimbabwe’s informal sector employs 95% of economically active adults. The informal sector closed operations due to COVID 19 lockdowns resulting in loss of income, unemployment and low standard of living. The informal sector lacks a model to use during natural disasters like COVID-19 pandemic. The chapter analyses the humanistic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the informal sector in Zimbabwe. The study used the collective five finger theory as a lens to view the phenomena. The researcher adopts a post-positivism paradigm that advocates a mixed-method approach. The chapter uses a descriptive research design to interview officials from the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise and Local Authorities and collect quantitative data from 200 informal traders in Gweru. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data and thematic analyses for qualitative data. The results revealed that relaxed sector workers’ standard of living declined due to business revenue falling. The study recommends adopting the proposed intervention strategies based on the Humanistic-Pandemic-Approach in the Informal sector guided by Ubuntu philosophy.