10 Reasons to be positive about South Africa

Published on 5th August, 2019 at 08:54 am

1. Our financial and banking sectors are well regulated

Our stock exchange is one of the best in the world in terms of security and accountability – a great reason to be positive about South Africa. “The JSE is consistently rated as one of the most robust in terms of regulation of the exchange,” says Ryno Oosthuizen, business development manager at Glacier by Sanlam.

2. We’re good at tourism

“We are blessed with nine different provinces that each have very different characteristics, from the beaches of the Western Cape and tropical KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga’s wildlife and the Karoo semi-desert,” says CEO of SA Tourism Sisa Ntshona. “And I haven’t even touched on the people! South Africa is never just one thing. We are so diverse and that is what is driving our tourism.”

3. Our creativity knows no bounds

According to the WARC Creative 100 report, South Africa is the ninth most creative country in the world. There has been a distinct increase in South African creatives making their mark on the global stage too. In the global art industry, contemporary African art is also in high demand.

4. We’ve got a truly entrepreneurial spirit

Early-stage entrepreneurial activity has increased by 4.1% compared to 2016, according to the 2017/2018 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report. It’s one of the reasons why the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, sponsored by Sanlam, remains highly relevant. Got a side hustle you’d like to turn into a business? Read more here.

5. Doing business in our country is easy compared to much of the world

According to Oosthuizen, referencing the World Bank’s annual Ease of Doing Business Report, “South Africa is currently ranked 82 out of 190 economies. There is a focus to get us into the top 50, which is very positive for foreign investment.” The CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Properties Commission) has done a lot to streamline the process of registering a company as well as registering for VAT and with SARS.

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6. Our cities are among the more affordable places to live

Out of 375 cities across the world, Cape Town and Jo’burg came in at 170 and 177 respectively in Mercer’s 2018 Cost of Living survey. Comparing everything from the price of a movie ticket and a pair of jeans to a cup of coffee, Cape Town promises restaurant prices over 53% cheaper than London, while Jo’burg offers residential rental costs that are a whopping 75% cheaper than London.

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7. Investment in our future is happening

Oosthuizen points to a number of financial factors that should have us positive about the future. “From an investor’s perspective, South Africa’s equity market has become more accessible as a considerable re-rating has taken place,” he explains. “Meanwhile, investors saving in a retirement fund are benefiting from the pull back in the local and offshore equity markets, as current contributions are buying units/shares at a lower price.”

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8. Our scientists and doctors are world-class

The 64-antennae MeerKAT telescope is the first step in the development of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a radio telescope network split between South Africa and Australia. Encouragingly, 75% of the MeerKAT’s value was sourced locally. This year also saw local doctors at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane working on the world’s first middle-ear transplant using 3D-printed tech.

9. We’re ahead of America and Australia on gender parity

We’ve definitely got a way to go – especially when it comes to gender-based violence – but the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2018 placed us 19th globally for gender parity. That’s ahead of America (ranked 51st), Australia (39th) and a swathe of European countries.

10. We’re resilient… and positive about South Africa

A 2017 report conducted by Ipsos MORI found South Africans the third most optimistic nation in the world, only just behind China and India. An impressive 85% of us expected great things to come. With an attitude like that, half the battle is won!

What’s a key to optimism? The feeling of freedom. Find out how to make financial freedom your goal with these tips. Plus, you never have to walk the road to financial freedom alone when there’s a Sanlam Financial Planner available at a click.