Fast Facts no 08 - August 2011

Contents:

•  Rainbow Index
  Living standards have risen strongly, but largely through unsustainable government spending. At the same time, key obstacles to black advancement - from family breakdown to uncaring teachers and a culture of dependency — remain unaddressed.
• Racial goodwill
  Racial goodwill is vital to South Africa, but continues to be undermined by laws requiring racial classification, racial counting, and racial preferences. Such laws are proving costly and have failed to help the truly disadvantaged, prompting criticisms from some of their earlier proponents.
• Good Citizenship
  Good citizenship is an essential foundation for liberal democracy, helping to reduce crime and other damaging behaviour. But ‘bad’  citizenship persists, evinced in rape and other criminal conduct, along with alcohol and drug abuse.
• Liberation of the Poor
  Social welfare has reduced poverty and improved living standards, while the rolling out of antiretrovirals to 1.4m people living with AIDS has reduced mortality and increased life expectancy.
• Fast Stats