Census reveals ANC government made all South Africans poorer

11 October 2023

Yesterday’s data from StatsSA’s census revealed the extent of South Africa’s economic deterioration at the hands of a failing ANC government. After decades of ANC's stewardship, it is clear that all South Africans are steadily getting poorer and poorer.

The census data revealed that South Africa's population has grown by 20%, from 51.8 million people in 2011 to 62 million people in 2022. Over the same period, under the ANC's watch, our economy, when adjusted for inflation, only grew by a mere 12%.

This disparity between population and economic growth means the average South African is contending with dwindling resources as GDP per capita is evidently declining in real-time. This situation paints a bleak picture of South African living standards, which have seen a marked decline in the past 11 years.

As GDP per capita declines, the outcome is clearly evident on:

Access to services – the average citizen’s access to essential services such as healthcare and social welfare programmes including unemployment benefits, pensions and subsidies has declined. This is the result of diminished tax revenue on a per capita basis.

Education – lackluster economic performance has failed to generate sufficient jobs, leading to soaring unemployment rates.

Purchasing power – limited growth means fewer goods are available for a larger population, reducing households’ ability to obtain the basic necessities of life.

Infrastructure – underinvestment in public infrastructure such as roads, transport and utilities has compromised productivity and the quality of life.

If the current trajectory continues, and the gap between population growth and economic growth continues to widen, our economic future cannot improve. Given the lack of urgency to resolve the energy crisis and government’s inability to implement measures to stimulate economic activity that will generate jobs, that outcome appears likely unless the government is changed.

This census outcome should serve as a wake-up call for government to act decisively and focus on strategic interventions that can spur productivity, catalyse job creation, and increase public service efficiency. Otherwise, the social and economic fabric of the nation is increasingly at risk. Only a DA Government can realise this outcome.

In our Alternative MTBPS later this month, we will present the necessary strategic fiscal interventions that will jumpstart economic activity, set South Africa back on a growth trajectory, and increase the living standards of all South Africans.

Issued by Dion George, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, 11 October 2023