Fast Facts 2010

Contents:

• Politics
  As the promises wax, the ability to fulfil them wanes. Accountability has increased in some respects, but elsewhere is weakening or absent.
• Politics
  The future political landscape: Four leading political analysts speak about the risks facing the country at a panel discussion organised by the Institute in November. Shortened extracts of their remarks or of papers supplied to the Institute are the focus of this issue of Fast Facts. The discussion was sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty.
• Fast Stats
   

Contents:

• Politics
  ‘Big brother’ is not amused.
• Politics
  A government tying the country into knots.
• Fast Stats
   

Contents:

• Health care
  Private scapegoats for public failures.
• International comparisons
  One of the big five?
• Economic forecasts
  Key economic indicators, 2010–14.
• Fast Stats
   

Contents:

• Politics
  Ombudsman not broken, but we’ll fix him anyway.
• Development
  Economic growth and education are the keys.
• Development
  Millennium Development Goals: South African progress.
• Fast Stats
   

Contents:

• Employment equity
  Time to face the facts.
• Government
  Announced priorities and other agendas: The latest list of government priorities is as interesting for what is not on it as for what is.  Some priorities that are not on the list may undermine some that are.
• Provincial profiles
  The Institute presents our annual statistical review of South Africa’s provinces.
• Fast Stats
   

Contents:

• Race relations
  The Institute has recently done a study on trends in race relations since 1994 sponsored by the Maurice Webb Trust.
• Education
  The school is what makes the difference.
• Fast Stats
  170 updated economic and social indicators and forecasts for South Africa:
  • Property page
  • Business indicators + Socio-economic and labour indicators
  • Investment index + Confidence count
  • Economic barometer + Inflation index
  • Latest forecasts
     

Contents:

• Health
  Excellence at risk
• Health
  Public healthcare unwell
• Health
  Private healthcare in pretty good shape
• Health
  National Health Insurance: The healthcare remedy
• Health
  No medical aid for the emerging African middle class
• Fast Stats
  170 updated economic and social indicators and forecasts for South Africa:
  • Property page
  • Business indicators + Socio-economic and labour indicators
  • Investment index + Confidence count
  • Economic barometer + Inflation index
  • Latest forecasts
     

Contents:

• Labour
  Employment and unemployment over 10 years
• ‘Rainbow Index’
  The ANC sees the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow as lying in a national democratic revolution and ambitious new forms of social engineering.  Liberals believe it lies rather in the maintenance of political and economic freedoms. The Institute’s new ‘Rainbow Index’ tracks developments in ten policy areas and scores the country’s performance on each. Analysis and scores for the first 15 years of democracy are contained in a new book, Chasing the Rainbow: South Africa’s Move from Mandela to Zuma.  These scores are also reflected here, along with the scores accorded the country in 2009/2010.
• Fast Stats
  170 updated economic and social indicators and forecasts for South Africa
   

Contents:

• 'Rainbow Index’
  The ANC sees the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow as lying in a national democratic revolution and ambitious new forms of social engineering. Liberals believe it lies rather in the maintenance of political and economic freedoms. The Institute’s new ‘Rainbow Index’ tracks developments in ten policy areas and scores the country’s performance on each. Analysis and scores for the first 15 years of democracy are contained in a new book, Chasing the Rainbow: South Africa’s Move from Mandela to Zuma. Those for 2009/2010 are to be found here and in the May issue of Fast Facts.
• Long-term forecasts
• Fast Stats
  170 updated economic and social indicators and forecasts for South Africa
   

Contents:

• Politics
  Our leading article suggests that sprucing up the country for the World Cup will be an exercise in deception that will leave the country’s fundamental problems untouched. It also suggests that civil society must act to bring about change without waiting for the Government.
• Politics
  Professor Jonathan Jansen, president of the Institute, lists seven key components of the crisis facing the country. He calls on civil society and other constituencies to insist on democratic principles and hold the Government accountable.
• Budget 2010
  Our annual budget analysis contains additional tables showing very long-term trends.
• Fast Stats
  170 updated economic and social indicators and forecasts for South Africa
   

Contents:

• Local government: leader
  A single approach to resolving the issues at local government level will not yield the best results for each of South Africa’s 283 diverse municipalities.
• Local government: protests
  Municipalities were plagued by service delivery protests that wreaked havoc in many parts of the country. The reasons, demands, and activities are analysed.
• Local government:  Stats
  The Institute provides 80 indicators for the country’s 52 district and metropolitan municipalities. These are divided into 10 categories which are demographics, education, employment, employment by industry, dwellings occupied, household access levels to basic and other services, transport to work or school, social security recipients, health, and crime and security rates.
• Local government: overview
  South Africa’s municipalities may have challenges in common, but they serve economically, culturally, and socially diverse communities
• Fast Stats
  170 updated economic and social indicators and forecasts for South Africa
   

Contents:

• Race
  Race classification has once again become firmly entrenched in South Africa, and has become a growth industry for private-sector entrepreneurs.
• Politics
  Judge Richard Goldstone’s recent report on conflict in the Gaza strip has been roundly criticised. Dr Anthea Jeffery argues that the same criticisms that are being aimed at the report should equally have been levelled at Judge Goldstone’s previous report on political violence in South Africa.
• Skills shortage
  Skills shortages in the public sector continue to hamper all aspects of government-run services in South Africa. The Institute provides a breakdown of the key shortages in the public sector which paints an alarming picture of the extent of the crisis.
• Fast Stats
  170 updated economic and social indicators and forecasts for South Africa