Spotlight: Futures research proposes ways to revive SA's economy
The latest ISS research shows South Africa's growth prospects could be healthy despite ongoing challenges.
Published on 16 September 2015 in
Impact
The Institute for Security Studies’ (ISS) analysis on trajectories for human security, development, economic growth and socio-political change in Africa enables decision makers to test implications of their policy choices well into the future.
Recent research from African Futures and Innovation at the ISS provides data to show that South Africa will only achieve long-term stability and prosperity with a leadership committed to inclusive political and economic practices.
‘By using our long-term forecasts, decision makers can anticipate the impact of current policies and practices and hopefully find ways to turn things around’, says Jakkie Cilliers, executive director of the ISS and head of African Futures and Innovation.
The ISS’ analysis of South Africa’s economic future shows how complex quantitative data can be explained in a way that is accessible to the general population and may help address the sense of crisis in the media regarding the country’s future.
ISS' analysis of SA's economic future shows how complex data can be explained in an accessible way
The paper South African Futures 2035: can Bafana Bafana still score? provides an update of previous work done by the ISS published shortly before the May 2014 national elections. The recent paper presents two alternative growth scenarios for the country up to 2035, and their implications for employment, politics and poverty.
‘Bafana Bafana Redux’ is the expected current trajectory, which considers the impact of policy incoherence and the electricity supply crisis on South Africa’s long-term prospects. An improved future, dubbed 'Mandela Magic Lite’, is possible, but only with concerted effort and much greater focus on the part of government.
Neither scenario has a significant impact on structural unemployment, which is a key challenge for South Africa’s current leadership and points to the need for much greater innovation when developing and implementing policy.
The research results were presented to various constituencies in South Africa at public events in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town, and gained considerable traction in the media. This coverage reflects the authoritative nature of ISS research and its influence on governance issues.
Media coverage of this research:
For more information contact:
Jakkie Cilliers, ISS: +27 83 644 6883, [email protected]
