According to the latest, annual Economic Freedom of the World (EFW) report, SA’s economic freedom ranking has declined dramatically from 46th position in 2000 to 110th this year. In contrast, SA’s neighbour, Mauritius is now ranked 8th overall, climbing up from 26th position in 2000. If SA had followed the path of Mauritius and increased its levels of economic freedom, South Africans would be healthier, wealthier and happier today. When British economist James Meade visited Mauritius in 1960, he concluded that Mauritius faced an unpromising future. He was later awarded a Nobel Prize in economics — and, the small island nation of Mauritius went on to demonstrate to the world that gloomy economic predictions are not necessarily a true reflection of future events, especially when made about a sensible people imbued with an entrepreneurial spirit. Mauritius underwent a remarkable economic transformation from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a diversified, upper-middle-incom...

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