The steep contraction in South Africa’s second-quarter gross domestic product – 51.2% when annualised and seasonally adjusted and 16.4% quarter-on-quarter – was not entirely unexpected in light of South Africa’s aggressive Covid-19 lockdown. Less certain, however, is whether there is a coherent recovery strategy that is able to reverse not only this sharp pandemic-induced slump, but also the country’s protracted low-growth performance.