The South African Economy Is In A State Of Emergency

The South African economy is in a State of Emergency. We need nothing less than a national crisis plan to fix it. At 41.1%, our unemployment rate is the highest in the world, and rising.

‍We are also the world’s most unequal society, with indicators of poverty, such as hunger, on the increase. As a result, socio-economic problems such as crime, gender based violence and substance abuse are accelerating, as is the general mood of hopelessness and rage.Meanwhile, the infrastructure we need to support and grow the economy is collapsing. Our ports and railways, our electricity grid, our water supply, our local governments all are in crisis. Neither can our criminal justice system provide the stability that is the precondition for job-creating business growth.

The black middle class has grown dramatically since 1994, but it remains too small, relative to the population, and fragile. Most black people, and especially women, remain excluded from our economy, as are too many of our youth. Too many are dependent solely on social grants for their livelihoods. This robs people not only of their economic agency but their political agency too: they become clients of the state. And, in the way it excludes the majority of South Africans from economic activity, it diminishes our tax base and puts a cap on growth.

Urgent action and reform are imperative for sustainable progress. Download the plan below and join RISE Mzansi in shaping a better tomorrow.