Three Keys to a New South Africa

The author identifies three critical areas for reform under President Cyril Ramaphosa's leadership: restoring the rule of law to combat state capture, reforming the management of state-owned enterprises to spur economic growth, and investing in education to address a 39% youth unemployment rate. The text highlights the potential of South Africa's chrome and manganese deposits for the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution' and suggests that domestic stability will allow the country to reassert its regional influence and leverage memberships in groups like BRICS.

• Restoring public confidence in the rule of law is a primary challenge due to the extensive 'capture' of cabinet appointments, the National Prosecuting Authority, and businesses during the Zuma administration.
• Economic recovery depends on reforming the state's relationship with state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which were previously used for personal gain, thereby undermining development.
• South Africa possesses significant deposits of manganese and chrome, which are critical for producing wind turbines, electric vehicles, and other Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, but the sector requires legislative overhaul to restore trust and attract investment.
• To combat a youth unemployment rate of 39%, the government needs to rethink training for future generations and increase investment in education, particularly early childhood education.
• South Africa should reassert its regional influence and geopolitical role through a dynamic investment strategy and active participation in economic groups such as BRICS.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2018). Three Keys to a New South Africa. https://saiia.org.za/research/three-keys-to-a-new-south-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Three Keys to a New South Africa. 2018. https://saiia.org.za/research/three-keys-to-a-new-south-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Three Keys to a New South Africa |date=16 February 2018 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/three-keys-to-a-new-south-africa/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2018three, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Three Keys to a New South Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2018}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/three-keys-to-a-new-south-africa/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }