Widespread adoption of preventive behaviours is critical for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Key preventive behaviours promoted in South Africa are mask-wearing, handwashing, physical distancing, staying at home, and avoiding large crowds. After the first wave of COVID-19 infections peaked in South Africa in July 2020 there were widespread concerns about ‘COVID-fatigue’ – a reduction in perceived COVID risk and less attention devoted to preventive behaviours – during the lull in the epidemic between the first and second waves. Our paper examines COVID-19 risk perceptions, preventive behaviour and COVID-fatigue during this epidemic lull. The analysis is based on data from the first three surveys conducted by the National Income Dynamics Study: Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) – first survey: 7 May to 27 June 2020, second survey: 13 July to 13 August 2020, third survey: 2 November to 13 December 2020. Key findings and policy implications are summarized here.