GARY RYNHART: SA is no basket case, it just needs Irish luck and lessons
Ireland went from civil war to prosperity by focusing especially on education, stability and certainty
15 April 2021 - 14:12
As an outsider here I find the narrative by some that SA is on its way to becoming a failed state laughable. Problems, yes, but plenty to be positive about.
In the early 1990s the country was on the brink of civil war. Today it is a vibrant, if messy, democracy. Per capita GDP is roughly 30% higher today than in 1994. In 1996 just 6-million people lived in a formal house; today the figure is 80% of all families. The number of families with piped water is double what it was in 1996. The percentage of kids in school at age five jumped from 30% in 2002 to 85% in 2013...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.