New From CFR: John Campbell on South Africa’s Economy
from Development Channel

New From CFR: John Campbell on South Africa’s Economy

Workers in the freight sector belonging to the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) march through the Durban central business district, demanding an increase in salary on September 26, 2012 (Rogan Ward/Courtesy Reuters).
Workers in the freight sector belonging to the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) march through the Durban central business district, demanding an increase in salary on September 26, 2012 (Rogan Ward/Courtesy Reuters).

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On his blog yesterday, CFR senior fellow John Campbell highlighted an article co-authored by Moeletsi Mbeki, deputy chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs and brother (and frequent critic) of former president Thabo Mbeki. As Campbell writes, the piece argues that South Africa’s 1994 political transition did not change the structure of its economy, leading to unrest today. As Campbell summarizes:

The ANC [African National Congress] has bought on to the unstable status quo, even while resentment against it is building among the poor and dispossessed who continually vote them into office. But, Mbeki posits no easy solutions: he observes that government efforts to radically redistribute wealth as advocated by radicals like ANC Youth League Leader Julius Malema will simply lead to owners taking their money elsewhere–outside South Africa.

You can read the full post here.

More on:

Sub-Saharan Africa

Development