South Africa

South Africa

Introduction

Background

Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the Far East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902)

however, the British and the Afrikaners, as the Boers became known, ruled together beginning in 1910 under the Union of South Africa, which became a republic in 1961 after a whites-only referendum. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid – the separate development of the races – which favored the white minority at the expense of the black majority. The African National Congress (ANC) led the opposition to apartheid and many top ANC leaders, such as Nelson MANDELA, spent decades in South Africa’s prisons. Internal protests and insurgency, as well as boycotts by some Western nations and institutions, led to the regime’s eventual willingness to negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 brought an end to apartheid and ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa since then has struggled to address apartheid-era imbalances in decent housing, education, and health care. ANC infighting, which has grown in recent years, came to a head in September 2008 when President Thabo MBEKI resigned, and Kgalema MOTLANTHE, the party’s General-Secretary, succeeded him as interim president. Jacob ZUMA became president after the ANC won general elections in April 2009. In January 2011, South Africa assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2011-12 term.

Geography

Location

Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates

29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 1,219,090 sq km
country comparison to the world: 25 land:1,214,470 sq km
water:4,620 sq km
note:includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

Area – comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries

total: 4,862 km
border countries:Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline

2,798 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm
continental shelf:200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate

mostly semiarid

subtropical along east coast

sunny days, cool nights

Terrain

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources

gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

Land use

arable land: 12.1%
permanent crops:0.79%
other:87.11% (2005)

Irrigated land

14,980 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

50 cu km (1990)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 12.5cu km/yr (31%/6%/63%)
per capita:264cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

prolonged droughts
volcanism:the volcano forming Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands, which last erupted in 2004, is South Africa’s only active volcano

Environment – current issues

lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures

growth in water usage outpacing supply

pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge

air pollution resulting in acid rain

soil erosion

desertification

Environment – international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements

Geography – note

South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland

People and Society

Nationality

noun: South African(s)
adjective:South African

Ethnic groups

black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)

Languages

IsiZulu (official) 23.82%, IsiXhosa (official) 17.64%, Afrikaans (official) 13.35%, Sepedi (offcial) 9.39%, English (official) 8.2%, Setswana (official) 8.2%, Sesotho (official) 7.93%, Xitsonga (official) 4.44%, siSwati (official) 2.66%, Tshivenda (official) 2.28%, isiNdebele (official) 1.59%, other 0.5% (2001 census)

Religions

Protestant 36.6% (Zionist Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%), Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001 census)

Population

49,004,031 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25 note:estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS

this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.5% (male 6,998,726/female 6,959,542)
15-64 years:65.8% (male 16,287,314/female 15,972,046)
65 years and over:5.7% (male 1,125,709/female 1,660,694) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 25 years
male:24.7 years
female:25.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.38% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 219

Birth rate

19.48 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92

Death rate

17.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3

Net migration rate

-6.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 200 note:there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2011 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 62% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:1.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

Johannesburg 3.607 million

Cape Town 3.353 million

Ekurhuleni (East Rand) 3.144 million

Durban 2.837 million

PRETORIA (capital) 1.404 million (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.68 male(s)/female
total population:0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

410 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 35

Infant mortality rate

total: 43.2 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 58 male:47.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female:39.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 49.33 years
country comparison to the world: 215 male:50.24 years
female:48.39 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.3 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

Health expenditures

8.5% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 45

Physicians density

0.77 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
country comparison to the world: 112

Hospital bed density

2.84 beds/1,000 population (2005)
country comparison to the world: 81

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 99% of population
rural: 78% of population
total: 91% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1% of population
rural: 22% of population
total: 9% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 84% of population
rural: 65% of population
total: 77% of population
unimproved:
urban: 16% of population
rural: 35% of population
total: 23% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

17.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

5.6 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1

HIV/AIDS – deaths

310,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
water contact disease:schistosomiasis (2009)

Education expenditures

5.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 45

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:86.4%
male:87%
female:85.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years
male:13 years
female:13 years (2004)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 48.2%
country comparison to the world: 3 male:44.6%
female:52.5% (2009)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
conventional short form:South Africa
former:Union of South Africa
abbreviation:RSA

Government type

republic

Capital

name: Pretoria (administrative capital)
geographic coordinates:25 42 S, 28 13 E
time difference:UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note:Cape Town (legislative capital)

Bloemfontein (judicial capital)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces

Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape

Independence

31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State)

31 May 1961 (republic declared)

27 April 1994 (majority rule)

National holiday

Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution

10 December 1996

note – certified by the Constitutional Court 4 December 1996

was signed by then President MANDELA 10 December 1996

and entered into effect 4 February 1997

Legal system

mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and customary law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009)

Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009)

note – the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009)

Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term)

election last held on 6 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results:Jacob ZUMA elected president

National Assembly vote – Jacob ZUMA 277, Mvume DANDALA 47, other 76

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Council of Provinces (90 seats

10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms

has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities) and the National Assembly (400 seats

members elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections:National Assembly and National Council of Provinces – last held on 22 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014)
election results:National Council of Provinces – percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – NA

National Assembly – percent of vote by party – ANC 65.9%, DA 16.7%, COPE 7.4%, IFP 4.6%, other 5.4%

seats by party – ANC 264, DA 67, COPE 30, IFP 18, other 21

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court

Supreme Court of Appeals

High Courts

Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders

African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]

African National Congress or ANC [Jacob ZUMA]

Congress of the People or COPE [Mosiuoa LEKOTA]

Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE]

Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]

Independent Democrats or ID [Patricia DE LILLE]

Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]

Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]

United Christian Democratic Party or UCDP [Lucas MANGOPE]

United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]

South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]

South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]
note:note – COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, CD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, NSG, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ebrahim RASOOL
chancery:3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:[1] (202) 232-4400
FAX:[1] (202) 265-1607
consulate(s) general:Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald H. GIPS
embassy:877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
mailing address:P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
telephone:[27] (12) 431-4000
FAX:[27] (12) 342-2299
consulate(s) general:Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description

two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side

the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands

the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

the flag colors do not have any official symbolism, but the Y stands for the “convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity”

black, yellow, and green are found on the flag of the African National Congress, while red, white, and blue are the colors in the flags of the Netherlands and the UK, whose settlers ruled South Africa during the colonial era
note:the South African flag is the only national flag to display six colors as part of its primary design

National symbol(s)

springbok antelope

National anthem

name: “National Anthem of South Africa”
lyrics/music:Enoch SONTONGA and Cornelius Jacob LANGENHOVEN/Enoch SONTONGA and Marthinus LOURENS de Villiers
note:adopted 1994

the anthem is a combination of “N’kosi Sikelel’ iAfrica” (God Bless Africa) and “Die Stem van Suid Afrika” (The Call of South Africa), which were respectively the anthems of the non-white and white communities under apartheid

the official lyrics contain a mixture of Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English

the music incorporates the melody used in the Tanzanian and Zambian anthems

Economy

Economy – overview

South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources

well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors

a stock exchange that is the 18th largest in the world

and modern infrastructure supporting a relatively efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. At the end of 2007, South Africa began to experience an electricity crisis. State power supplier Eskom encountered problems with aged plants, necessitating “load-shedding” cuts to residents and businesses in the major cities. Growth was robust from 2004 to 2007 as South Africa reaped the benefits of macroeconomic stability and a global commodities boom, but began to slow in the second half of 2007 due to the electricity crisis and the subsequent global financial crisis’ impact on commodity prices and demand. GDP fell nearly 2% in 2009. Unemployment remains high and outdated infrastructure has constrained growth. Daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era – especially poverty, lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups, and a shortage of public transportation. South Africa’s former economic policy was fiscally conservative, focusing on controlling inflation, and attaining a budget surplus. The current government largely follows the same prudent policies, but must contend with the impact of the global crisis and is facing growing pressure from special interest groups to use state-owned enterprises to deliver basic services to low-income areas and to increase job growth. More than a quarter of South Africa’s population currently receives social grants.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$524 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26 $509.8 billion (2009 est.)
$518.5 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$357.3 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

2.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128 -1.7% (2009 est.)
3.6% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$10,700 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103 $10,400 (2009 est.)
$10,600 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 2.5%
industry:30.8%
services:66.8% (2010 est.)

Labor force

17.39 million economically active (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 9%
industry:26%
services:65% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate

24.9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173 24% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line

50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.3%
highest 10%:44.7% (2000)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

65 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 3 59.3 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121

Budget

revenues: $93.92 billion
expenditures:$108.7 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124

Public debt

33.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85 26.8% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136 7.2% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

7% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 23 11.5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.833% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87 11.708% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$131 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28 $109.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$314.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28 $263.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$339.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32 $286.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$1.013 trillion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 17 $704.8 billion (31 December 2009)
$491.3 billion (31 December 2008)

Agriculture – products

corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables

beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Industries

mining (world’s largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate

4.9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84

Electricity – production

238.3 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16

Electricity – consumption

212.2 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17

Electricity – exports

14.05 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

1.757 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

192,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42

Oil – consumption

553,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

Oil – exports

54,930 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

Oil – imports

521,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24

Oil – proved reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas – production

1.9 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas – consumption

5.4 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Natural gas – imports

3.5 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39

Natural gas – proved reserves

27.16 million cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103

Current account balance

-$9.987 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182 -$11.33 billion (2009 est.)

Exports

$85.7 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37 $66.54 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment

Exports – partners

China 13.7%, US 10.1%, Japan 8.7%, Germany 7.3%, UK 7.1%, India 4.3% (2010)

Imports

$81.86 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35 $66.01 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments, foodstuffs

Imports – partners

China 13.4%, Germany 11.2%, US 7%, Saudi Arabia 5.3%, Japan 4.7%, Iran 4.3%, UK 4.3% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$43.83 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39 $39.68 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$109.4 billion (30 June 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41 $44.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$119 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30 $117.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$72.97 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29 $72.58 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

rand (ZAR) per US dollar -
7.38 (2010)
8.42 (2009)
7.9576 (2008)
7.05 (2007)
6.7649 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

578 (2010)
country comparison to the world:11

Airports – with paved runways

total: 147
over 3,047 m:11
2,438 to 3,047 m:6
1,524 to 2,437 m:53
914 to 1,523 m:67
under 914 m:10 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 431
2,438 to 3,047 m:1
1,524 to 2,437 m:32
914 to 1,523 m:261
under 914 m:137 (2010)

Heliports

1 (2010)

Pipelines

condensate 11 km

gas 908 km

oil 980 km

refined products 1,382 km (2010)

Railways

total: 20,192 km
country comparison to the world: 14 narrow gauge:19,756 km 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified)

122 km 0.750-m gauge

314 km 0.610-m gauge (2010)

Roadways

total: 362,099 km
country comparison to the world: 18 paved:73,506 km (includes 239 km of expressways)
unpaved:288,593 km (2002)

Merchant marine

total: 4
country comparison to the world: 133 by type:container 1, petroleum tanker 3
foreign-owned:1 (Denmark 1)
registered in other countries:11 (Mexico 1, NZ 1, Seychelles 1, Singapore 3, UK 5) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay

Military

Military branches

South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army, South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), Joint Operations Command, Military Intelligence, South African Military Health Services (2009)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service

women are eligible to serve in noncombat roles

2-year service obligation (2007)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 13,439,781
females age 16-49:12,473,641 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 7,617,063
females age 16-49:6,476,264 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 482,122
female:485,017 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

1.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 88

Military – note

with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National Defense Force (SANDF)

as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

South Africa has placed military along the border to apprehend the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing economic dysfunction and political persecution

as of January 2007, South Africa also supports large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (33,000), Somalia (20,000), Burundi (6,500), and other states in Africa (26,000)

managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the boundary in the Orange River

in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 10,772 (Democratic Republic of Congo)

7,818 (Somalia)

5,759 (Angola) (2007)

Illicit drugs

transshipment center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right

cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise

world’s largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption

attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy