It really does make the world go round and it certainly MAKES the purple world spin let alone go around. So what we have to cope with for the next six months, pretty much until the end of the year(at least) is lots of Virus resulting in a whole lot less mullah being circulated.

Those who don't have money and/or prospects of a decent job are not able to spend, while many who still have some cash are scared of spending because of all the uncertainties. They are hoarding cash and toilet paper. People with jobs face severe lack of job security, witness employees of SAA.

Business owners have dipped into whatever reserves they may have had in their personal and business capacities.

The economy is not about to recover when we hit stage 3 or 2 or whatever new bullshit it will be called. It will take years, probably 3 to 5 years to get back to where we were in January and that was not a great place anyway.

Within this scenario some people will thrive! Many great fortunes originated in tough times, but it will not be easy. So lets talk about how players in the purple world, both punters and sps, can not just survive but thrive.

My contribution is: Always remember in these times cash is king.

I gave my input of this and got laughed at. During this very hard time, an in a 6 weeks period, i have made + 375% and expecting much more in the month to come out of this.

Well it will certainly put the online/digital type industries years ahead in some time. Probably also fast track automation of manufacturing etc. Robots would not have needes to stay at home. This event will work out well for strong 1st world countries in, 3rd world and poorer countries with crap education will always rely more on manual work, so they will just stay behind for longer. But like in the past, I guess economies won't stop, they will just change and adapt. Humans can't be stopped, which is why the world is so fucked. Like you say, all about money and greed.

@UnlikelySuspect
So our economic woes are likely to continue for years into the future.

Right now we can expect a lot less punters with available cash for the rest of the year.
Perhaps a return of some sps who are forced to come back and the entry of new girls who have lost their jobs and have no viable alternatives.

Think you have pretty much summed it up yes.

Well @Suspect, it seems that there are some newbie provider around who believe that they can demand a fee of R1500 and regularly book 3 clients a day in this market.

I say good luck to those who manage to achieve this and don't be too sure it will last for a long time.

Only time will tell.

While the economy driven by the private sector is one force, the government's recovery plan is quite the opposite. Rather like trying to extinguish a fire by adding more fuel !.....so yes, our economy on the whole is going to take years to recover.

As long as the current leaders remain in charge, it is unlikely to recover to where we were in 2019q4 within the next 5 years.

People (especially politicians) is still not comprehending how bad it is. We are slowly slipping the Zim way. But the pace will gather momentum.

To quote Ernest Hemingway: "How did you go bankrupt."
Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.

I get why so many people talk about recovering our economy. They are often saying so from a position of financial comfort that they fear they may lose should things not go back to the way they were.

The other people I hear saying it are on the other end of the financial
spectrum. The same essential fear, but borne from not being able to put food on the table in the only way they have ever known how.

I feel for the second group.

The first one, not so much.

I fall in between as someone who has no dependents and is used to making do with very little while having a set of skills that, so far, still have enough value in this world to give me some security.

I'm also one of those who does not want things to go back to the way they were. I know it's too idealistic, but this is such a great opportunity in disguise to reform these systems that continue to increase the disparity in wealth and resources in this world.

A lot of you will read that and just see "ah, another commie" or some other label you use to dismiss things so you can sleep at night.
So I will just say that I'm not suggesting we try some previously failed system of socialism, just that this is an opportunity to make something much better than ever possible before.

It's nice to see a lot of people in SA do see it in a similar way though. There's some great stuff happening out there recently.

Take for example people who are finding sudden success borne out of this situation, and using their gains to help others who would usually have no hope of finding similar opportunities purely due to the crappy hand they were dealt.
I'm not referring to handouts, I'm talking the share of knowledge and resources to enable the betterment of others, and ultimately of everyone.

Fuck, I'm just rambling now aren't I.

"Cash is king" is not something I can agree with in this situation. If you are correct that the amount of money in circulation will dwindle, then now is surely the time to start thinking about how best to ensure it circulates efficiently and to ALL parts of the body.

If we don't, there's a good chance we will wake up one day soon with dead limbs and an aneurysm at the same time.