South Africa
USAID's Strategy in South Africa
In 2004, South Africa celebrated a decade of liberation and held
its third consecutive national democratic elections. The South
African government is committed to economic freedom and has
invested heavily in its people. The country plays a key economic
and political role in Africa. However, joblessness, HIV/AIDS,
crime, and corruption drain public support for South Africa’s
hard won democracy. South Africa’s greatest challenges
in the decade ahead are to ensure that the epic changes made
in this first decade of freedom are consolidated and benefit
the lives of most South Africans. USAID programs focus on education,
economic growth and employment, HIV/AIDS and health, democracy
and governance, and housing and municipal services.
INCREASING ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION
The legacy of apartheid’s unequal education system is
deeply rooted in South Africa. USAID's education program supports
transforming the public school system into one that offers quality
learning conditions and programs through activities that develop
specific skills and address institutional change. Under the
President’s Africa Education Initiative, USAID is training
math and science teachers and helping to develop learning materials
in 10 languages. USAID assistance has increased the third grade
student pass rates in literacy and numeracy in targeted schools
by 8 percent since 2001.
REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY
In a 2004 survey, South Africans ranked unemployment—estimated
at between 27 and 41 percent—as the country’s most
serious problem. For many historically disadvantaged farmers
and entrepreneurs, USAID’s services are the only forms
of assistance and mentoring they receive. USAID facilitates
technical assistance and training to help small- and medium-sized
firms identify new markets, build production and management
capacity, secure financing to expand and, ultimately, to create
sustainable private sector employment. In FY 2004, the USAID
employment creation program generated over 3,000 jobs and more
than $279 million in sales in the small and medium business
and agribusiness sectors. USAID's economic policy program also
supports South African economists and parliamentarians to better
analyze economic issues and make sound policy decisions.
ACCESS TO HIV/AIDS AND HEALTH SERVICES
With 5.6 million infected citizens, South Africa has more HIV-positive
people than any other country. USAID works with South Africa
to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS and improve primary health
care services for all. Over the past seven years, USAID has
helped transform primary health care in the Eastern Cape, one
of South Africa’s poorest provinces. Primary health care
services are now available at the 689 clinics in the province,
reaching more than 6.4 million people. South Africa is also
a focus country under President Bush’s Emergency Plan
for AIDS Relief. With USAID funding, Takalani Sesame, the South
African version of Sesame Street, continued its television and
radio programming that reaches pre-school children with messages
about HIV/AIDS through the HIV-positive Muppet “Kami.”
PROMOTING SOUND DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNANCE
While official statistics show that crime rates are slowly
declining, crime remains a central concern for the government
because it has a direct impact on people’s lives and undermines
public confidence and investment. USAID is helping South Africa’s
Department of Justice to save millions of dollars by streamlining
administrative procedures in three provinces in order to handle
court cases more efficiently, generating cost savings of up
to $3 million per province, and is training investigators and
prosecutors in skills needed to secure convictions in corruption
cases. USAID support to help restructure South Africa’s
court system has led to an 11 percent reduction in the case
backlog in district courts. USAID helped South Africa draft
legislation that establishes the framework for local governments
to raise revenue and provide services to their citizens. USAID
is also providing support to South Africa’s government
and nongovernmental organizations to assist victims of violence,
especially rape.
INCREASING ACCESS TO HOUSING AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Almost 10 million historically disadvantaged South Africans
still live in slums that lack basic shelter, drinking water,
sanitation, solid waste disposal, electricity, and safe and
affordable transportation. USAID programs aim to increase the
access of these households to municipal services and support
policies that lead to sustainable urban management. Over the
last five years the program has reached 3.3 million poor households
with improved or new services in water, power, sanitation, and
shelter. USAID/South Africa also implements President Bush's
Water for the Poor, Clean Energy, and Global Climate Change
Initiatives.
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