COVID-19 and Care for the Elderly People in Africa: An Analysis of South Africa’s Mitigation Measures

According to the United Nations, there were 31.9 million sub-Saharan Africans aged 65 years in 2019. This number is projected to increase more than threefold to reach over 101.4 million in 2050 (United Nations 2019b). Research evidence also shows that life expectancy in North Africa increased from 48.7 years in 1965 to 74.5 years in 2015 and is projected to reach 76.9 years by 2045–2050. As a result of these trends, the proportion of older people aged 60 years and above in Africa is projected to reach 19 percent (approximately 50 million in absolute terms) in 2050, a significant