Some 15 years after the peaceful transition from apartheid to democracy, state and society in South Africa are still undergoing changes. The fourth democratic elections, held in April 2009, confirmed the position of the African National Congress (ANC) in government, and the election of Jacob Zuma as president brought in a 'man of the people' to head the administration. There are high hopes vested in him. In 1994, the ANC proclaimed its vision of a 'better quality of life for all the country's citizens'. So far, this has become reality for only a minority of people. Although a new black middle class is beginning to develop, large swathes of the population feel excluded from the progress. They are demanding that the government keep its election promises and are calling on local authorities to provide better services. Otherwise, poverty and growing inequality could pose a threat to social peace. Violence and crime are already impeding the economic and social development of the country.

(Above: Skills Development is ranking high on South Africa’s agenda. Photo GTZ)

South Africa is viewed as the economic and political powerhouse of Africa. It has a decisive influence on the political stability of the continent. For years, the South African economy has enjoyed sustained growth. Now, because of the global economic crisis, that growth has begun to falter for the first time. The country may have been less severely hit than many others, but according to official figures, here too, in Africa's largest industrialised economy, well over half a million jobs have been lost. The people worst affected are those with little education and no training at all — almost half the population.  These people have no chance at all in the formal labour market. At the same time, the lack of a well-qualified workforce is the main factor limiting the continued development of the economy. For these reasons, education and training are at the top of the political agenda.

South Africa currently also faces another great challenge: the need for an affordable power supply to meet the steadily growing demand for energy. For the most part, the existing supply is generated from burning locally mined coal. Today, South Africa is the twelfth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and at the same time one of the countries worst affected by climate change.

(Above: Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2010^TM passion for the sport is ubiquitous, particularly among the black population of South Africa. Photo GTZ)

All eyes will be on South Africa in 2010, when the first ever football World Cup held on African soil kicks off on 11 June. The enthusiasm has taken hold of the country, but above all in the townships, the traditional home of the sport in South Africa. Much has yet to be done before the whistle blows for the start of the first match, but the country is on target to surmount these challenges.

Within the framework of German development cooperation with South Africa, GTZ is supporting the country in its efforts to strengthen the state and the administration, to promote education and training, and to reduce emissions and use energy efficiently. It is committed to the fight against HIV and AIDS, and is sharing with South Africa the experiences Germany itself gained while hosting the World Cup in 2006. Development cooperation focuses on the following areas:

• Governance and administration
• Skills Development
• Climate change and energy

Since 1993, GTZ has been committed to supporting political changes in South Africa. It operates on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) and other international organisations and institutions, such as the European Union.  BMZ has commissioned GTZ to coordinate its activities in the fields of governance and administration, and vocational education.

GTZ established a country office in Pretoria in 1996. Today, 93 national staff and 33 seconded experts work for GTZ in South Africa.

December 2009