South Africa is not so bad!
South Africa’s debt-to-GDP ratio is 32% (USA 100%, Japan 200%, UK 90%). The World Bank recommends a ratio of 60%.
South Africa sold $1.8 billion worth of cars to the US in 2010, putting us ahead of Sweden and Italy as suppliers to the US market. Car sales are projected to grow 10% in 2011 to 460,000 units.
South Africa is ranked 1st out of 139 countries in respect of regulation of security exchanges, according to the World Economic Forum competitiveness report 2010-2011 .
The South African stock market rose 16.09% in 2010, ranking 8th out of the G20 nations and ahead of all of the G7 countries (Bespoke Investment Group).
The South African Rand (ZAR) was the second best performing currency against the US Dollar between 2007 and 2011, according to Bloomberg’s Currency Scorecard.
The number of tourists visiting South Africa has grown from 3.9 million in 1994 to 11.3 million in 2010. South Africa is ranked among the top 5 countries in the world in respect of tourism growth(growing at 3 times the global average).
Cape Town was named the top tourist destination in the world in the 2011 Travellers’ Choice Destinations awards.
Johannesburg’s OR Tambo airport is the best airport in Africa, according to the World Airport Awards 2010/11. It was also in the top three most improved airports in the world for the same period.
South Africa’s learner-to-teacher ratio has improved from 1:50 in 1994 to 1:31 in 2010.
SA’s population is the 27th largest in the world (there are 230 countries, only 80 have a population in excess of 10 million). South Africa is not listed as one of the 49 fastest growing populations. Ourpopulation is set to stabilise at ± 50 million for the next 20 years. Population sizes remain the same when there are 2.2 births per fertile female. In South Africa the figure is 2.3 births per fertile female. The average in Europe is 1.7. (The Economist).
The percentage of the South African population with access to clean drinking water increased from 62% in 1994, to 93% in 2011.
Access to electricity has increased: from 34% in 1994 to 84% in 2011.
Since 1994, 435 houses have been built each day for the poor.
Don’t let statements by youth leaders and politicians frighten you. They are only playing to their crowd and trying to win sympathy. The media knows you will fall for this, because it sells.
Land rights are protected in the Constitution. Freedom of speech is protected in the Constitution.
Fear leads to hate. Hate leads to anger. Anger leads to suffering. Therefore don’t fear.
