The emergence of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 which causes the COVID-19 disease was on 11 March 2020 declared a public health pandemic by the World Health Organization since it threatens human life and livelihood. Covid-19 which originates from China has stretched across nations globally from the end of 2019. In administering public policy of affected countries each government has adopted a counter strategy of containing this biological outbreak. The consequential effects are restricted movements on socio-economic activities. Thus, this paper provides theory development of a cross-disciplinary study drawing upon insights from literature on uncertainty and disaster risk management that is integrated with system theory, adaptive systems and practices as well as decision-making philosophy. That provides a basis for exploration of international perspectives on disaster risk reduction methods to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Following, this paper explains the formulation of the South Africa’s Risk Adjusted Strategy. The collected scientific data and associated information enable risk analysis experts and key stakeholders to empower political decision-making in strategy execution. The anticipated strategic interventions are to alleviate a debilitating socio-economic situation by public policy and adaptation strategies towards a return to socio-economic normalcy. However, the potential paradoxical effects of COVID-19 are expected to create an ambivalent attitude to strategic interventions and decision-making by authorities. Thus, this paper seeks to explore the theoretical and practical ramifications of the systemic change and adaptable disaster risk strategy of South Africa within the context of disaster risk management and under extraordinary situations of uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper analyses the potential influence of the selected, South African online newspapers on the discourse of alternative workplace arrangements during the Covid-19 era. A content analysis of online newspapers’ coverage of the pertinent workplace requisites of performance during the Covid-19 pandemic enlightens the complex dichotomy of a traditional office workplace against work from home and a hybrid work model. The essence of anticipatory corporate leadership is that personnel behavior has to adapt to the changing work situation. This paper hypothesis that the framing of ideas by South African newspapers promotes perceptions and particular interpretations of the prevailing workplace environment during the two years of the Covid-19 period in South Africa. The research uses qualitative content analysis, which is the written texts, and quantitative methods of content analysis of newspapers by conducting a hypothesis test and independent group ANOVA test. That provides perspectives of choices and reasons for or against the distinct workplace situation. The results show that the newspaper reports focused more on the “Work from Home” practice. The newspapers’ perspective on the “Work from Home” culture may heighten the anticipatory strategies of corporate leaders in their pursuit to sustain high work performance. The circulation level of selected online newspapers in South Africa influences the research findings.

This study focusses on the efficiencies of subunits of South Africa’s Metrorail services. Over the period 2015/16 to 2018/19 Metrorail implemented its corporate plan to improve operations efficiency. This study applies the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) to compare the performance efficiency of the three Metrorail subunits over the study period. The results indicate the variation of productivity levels amongst Metrorail subunits. Furthermore, output-oriented scale efficiency scores are used to measure the optimal scale situation of each Metrorail subunit. It is concluded that largely the KwaZulu-Natal subunit seems to be more efficient when compared to the other two subunits over the full period under analysis. Therefore, in the cognition of the relatively large size of the Gauteng and Western Cape subunits and their concomitant inefficiency levels, the findings suggest that Metrorail management should focus on correcting their inefficiencies while also considering alteration of their size to optimize production.

A hybrid UTAUT and Fuzzy Dematel Method is proposed in assessing the perception of accepting the new electronic Legal Aid Administration (eLAA) system by employees of Legal Aid South Africa. Information technology acceptance research has in many respects provided insight to decision-making on reviewing user acceptance. Legal Aid SA’s employees’ perception measured by their response of assessment is useful information on users’ attitude of accepting the eLAA system. Therefore, this study aims to measure the main determinants of intention and usage of the new system by users using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Further, we identify the cause-and-effect factors of acceptance and suggest the importance of factors using the Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (Dematel) method. The findings of this study suggest that the UTAUT dimensions of Performance Expectancy has high direct influence on acceptance of the eLAA system by Legal Aid SA employees than other variances. Alternatively, Effort Expectancy (EE) dimension is in the overall having the least power of direct influence on using the eLAA system. Notably, both the Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions have low direct influence in predicting the attitude of using the eLAA system. The findings of this study are useful in assisting the management of Legal Aid SA to gain insight into preferred ways to introduce automated systems that are perceived useful and acceptable amongst employees.