South Africa

The government has made it clear that education is a priority, with more public resources going to the education system than any other sector. The 2013 budget allocates $28bn to education expenditure: $121m for teacher recruitment and up to $975m on facilities upgrades. The budget also includes $85m for developing technical secondary schools. Raising the country’s schools to international...

With the continent’s largest health care sector, South Africa’s government has focused heavy investment in the industry, and its thriving private sector is keeping pace, accounting for about half of overall spending. Indeed, spending on health care in South Africa exceeds the WHO’s recommended levels, with 8.3% of GDP spent in 2011 compared to the suggested 5%. While resources are relatively...

South Africa is home to one of Africa’s most dynamic media markets. The end of apartheid created a new era of freedom in which independent voices have blossomed. A population of over 50m and economic growth provide sound fundamentals. Technological changes can be challenging for traditional outlets, but also provide opportunities for those willing to innovate. Having weathered the international...

Despite some challenging circumstances, the South African agricultural sector continues to perform robustly. In the first quarter of 2013, the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sector comprised 2.2% of real GDP. The country’s major farming segments in recent years have included cattle, dairy, poultry, sugar and maize. In terms of turnover, as many as 10 of the top 20 agribusinesses in South...

As South Africa’s visitor numbers pick up, revenues are returning to a tourism industry that suffered a post-World Cup dip compounded by the effects of a tough global environment. Some 4.4m tourists visited South Africa in the first six months of 2012. The government is working to increase the tourism sector contribution to the economy, from a 2009 baseline figure of R189.4bn ($23bn), or 7.9% of...

South Africa has a sizeable “digital divide”, with urban areas benefitting from a range of modern technologies while rural areas tend to be less connected. However, with a renewed draft broadband policy, South Africa now has a framework for developing the ICT infrastructure that will help its economy modernise and thrive. In the sphere of backhaul infrastructure, the private sector has a strong...