South Africa: Life Remains Intolerably Hard for Most South Africans

opinion

Wednesday was Budget day in South Africa, an annual event for the state. But for most citizens, budget day is every day or, if they a slightly luckier, a weekly or monthly calculation to try to remain at least afloat economically. So what happened last week, along with the plaudits and the protests reflected in the media, will not cause any excitement for more than half the population.

And who can blame those who live in a state of penury? While the state can effectively wallow in debt, with its functionaries able to live high on the hog, debt for people on the ground often means malnutrition and a slow descent into sickness and premature death. For, unlike the government, big business or the historically wealthy, there is little - and usually no - access to loans at anywhere near reasonable rates to tide poor families over a rough patch.

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