What South African miss most about pre-lockdown life includes the roar of a soccer match coming to life at a stadium, the electric energy of a jam-packed, sold-out concert, and the heavy base of a vibrant club scene.
These insights from new research conducted by Epson indicate just how eager the overwhelming majority of South Africans are to return to their pre-pandemic social lives.
The research reveals that almost 85% of respondents believe they will go to the same or more events, such as music festivals or concerts, theme parks, art galleries and museums after lockdown restrictions ease.
Over 90% said they would be willing to pay more to attend these future events and festivals, with 85% prepared to do so for 12 months to support industry workers whose livelihoods were severely impacted by the pandemic.
As devastating as the pandemic has been, it has also created an opportunity for South Africans to appreciate the social events that they have been unable to attend. When asked whether they missed going to live sporting events during lockdown, 74% agreed, while 70% agreed they missed going to technologically enhanced events such as music festivals, theme parks and museums. Over 60% agreed that they missed going to parties, clubs or music concerts.
“This survey, which polled 500 South Africans, shows the extent of the pandemic’s impact on people’s personal and social lives,” says Timothy Wilson, business account manager: visual imaging at Epson South Africa. “The effects of event deprivation are evident in the majority of respondents who yearn to reconnect with friends and loved ones at events, encouraging people to take every opportunity to live life to the fullest once restrictions ease, responsibly.”
Strong evidence of pandemic fatigue
The results show how the pandemic has impacted every South African differently, with the inability to attend events triggering a range of emotions. A large majority of respondents expressed feelings of boredom and or frustration (69%), sadness and or anxiety (43%), and a lack of excitement and desperation to get out and have fun (62%) as a result of not being able to attend to their favourite events.
The research also showed that South Africans are suffering from pandemic fatigue and want to get out again, especially considering that 75% of respondents feel that their social lives were taken away during the pandemic. Over 80% said they wanted their lives to go back to the way things were in 2019.
Filling the entertainment void
Despite being denied access to live events, South Africans still found creative ways to pass the time until they were able to safely socialise with friends and family again. These included virtual house parties, social media dance challenges, like the Jerusalema dance challenge, and even watching a movie at Cape Town’s reintroduced movie drive-in.
The research revealed how South Africans who missed attending events used the time over lockdown to find these and other unique ways to beat the lockdown entertainment blues. Just over 80% resorted to watching concerts and events on TV or social media, while just over 60% talked to friends and family about happy memories of past events.
The country’s sports fans, who missed the thrill and excitement of live games, found an alternative source of sporting action by turning to esports.
Life beyond Covid-19
South Africans are desperate to return to their pre-pandemic lives. As a result, and based on these findings, the country can expect an influx of event-goers looking to reconnect with their friends, families and loved ones at stadiums, music festivals, and theatres once it’s safe to do so.