South Africa - 64.05
60
A Subsaharan success story
South Africa has largely managed to escape the struggles that plague most of its neighbors. While it would be a stretch to call South Africa a rich nation, they have avoided most of the economic problems that plague other Subsaharan African countries. Since the fall of Apartheid, South Africa has managed one of the freest and fairest democracies on the continent. Additionally, South Africa is unique on the continent in that they guarantee LGBT rights. South Africa maintains a significantly higher human rights standard than most other countries on the continent, but that is not to say that the country is without problems. Police brutality is rampant and cases of borderline torture were common. Politics and media in South Africa are partisan on a comparable level to other neighboring countries. Protests are often violently suppressed and peaceful protestors regularly face arbitrary arrest. Prison conditions are poor nationwide. However, these issues should not discredit the strides that South Africa has made since apartheid. Despite facing major challenges, South Africa has overcome significant adversity to get to where it is today.
Human Rights - 73
South Africa has fully abolished the death penalty. Poachers are often killed with impunity and the government rarely investigates killings of poachers. Police brutality remains a major issue in South Africa. Detainees were often beaten during their arrest, some of them until death. Police shootings of unarmed suspects remain a concern. Police frequently beat people for violating COVID lockdowns. Torture was common in police custody in South Africa. During searches of their homes, suspects would often be bound and left in uncomfortable positions for hours on end. Detainees were often subject to marathon interrogations that lasted several days on end without breaks. Detainees were often beaten in custody. Prisoners lacked adequate access to medical care, sanitation, and ventilation. Inmate-inmate abuse, especially rape, went generally unpunished. Pretrial detainees were regularly held with convicts, exasperating these issues. Court backlogs resulted in lengthy pretrial detention times, extending the time that pretrial detainees spent around convicts in prisons with dangerous conditions. Bail prices were often exorbitant, often higher for the same crime than in significantly wealthier countries. South Africa guarantees a full gamut of LGBT rights. Abortion is legal to twelve weeks.
Democracy - 91
The president is chosen by the National Assembly, which is elected by proportional representation. Elections are free and fair, as noted issues with voter rolls were resolved in 2019. Coalitions led by the African National Congress have ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid. Smaller leftist parties are regularly brought into the fold to establish a majority but right-wing parties have failed to mount a majority since the end of apartheid.
Freedom - 84
South Africa criminalizes hate speech. South African media is highly partisan and most media in the country has political affiliations. Dissenting journalists regularly face frivolous lawsuits from politicians. Reporting on corruption or organized crime has led to physical intimidation and sometimes violent attacks against journalists. The Constitutional Court has repeatedly overturned laws attempting to increase government provisions for surveillance. South Africa has very strict drug laws. South Africa may issue gun ownership licenses for semi-automatic rifles and handguns. Fully-automatic rifles and handguns are legal for licensed private security officers.
Economy - 45
Health - 42
South Africa has a life expectancy of 64 years and an infant mortality rate of 2.4%. 28.3% of South Africans are obese and 6.5% are malnourished. South Africa has a decent universal healthcare system, with the quality of care varying widely. Healthcare in major cities in South Africa is world-class, while in rural areas it is of poorer quality. However, hospitals across the whole country are accessible and almost all South Africans live close to a hospital, albeit of varying quality. South Africa maintains a public health insurance scheme that covers all South Africans. 91.8% of South Africans have access to clean, running water. South Africa has major problems with HIV/AIDS, seeing some of the highest rates in the world.
Corruption - 18
The South African judicial system is one of the few institutions in the country that is not corrupt. Police extortion is rampant, with anti-gang and anti-poaching units generally regarded as the only non-corrupt units in the country. Public services must be bribed into action. Bribes are very commonly paid at South African borders. Public contracts are impossible to obtain without corruption. The South African mining industry is highly corrupt. Almost every president in South Africa’s post-apartheid history has been implicated in a major corruption scandal.
Competency - 38
South Africa is a nation in crisis. The government is failing to provide for the people, as it sees one of the highest rates of economic disparity of any country in the world. Despite a large number of wealthy South Africans, large portions of the population live in abject poverty. The government is failing to control corruption, as it remains pervasive at all levels of government in South Africa. Crime remains rampant throughout the country and the government has failed to control it.
Future - 45
South Africa’s future is uncertain, as issues with worsening corruption and political unrest have been mounting for several years. In contrast to other countries in the region, the South African economy has been struggling and seeing slow growth for several years. Despite this, South African democracy is steadfast.
Actions Abroad - 83
South Africa is a member of the African Union and the Commonwealth of Nations. South Africa is a regional superpower, seeing involvement in military campaigns in Angola and Mozambique. Additionally, South Africa acts as a military protector for Lesotho and Eswatini. South Africa has contributed large amounts of foreign aid to fight the Ebola epidemic. South Africa balances relations with the United States and China. South Africa maintains close relations with the US but is also part of the Belt and Road Initiative. Post-apartheid South Africa has repaired relations with Israel after severing ties over Israel’s support of South Africa’s apartheid regime. The two countries collaborated on their nuclear programs and South African special forces were (and still are) trained by Israel. South Africa has disassembled its nuclear arsenal.
18.9% of South Africans live under the international poverty line and 55.5% live under the national poverty line. 35.3% of South Africans are unemployed. South Africa has one of the highest economic disparities in the world. The minimum wage in South Africa is $1.48 per hour. South Africa has a decent universal healthcare system. Healthcare in major cities is world-class, including public hospitals, but said public hospitals are also subject to world-class wait times. Hospitals in rural areas offer poorer quality care but are still accessible, with virtually all South Africans living close to a hospital of varying quality. South Africa’s public healthcare scheme covers all South Africans, but most wealthy South Africans choose to pay for private healthcare instead. South Africa is a major source of medical tourism for wealthy residents of poorer neighboring countries. South Africa’s GDP shrunk by 7% in 2020 and grew by 0.2% in 2019.