I have been banging on this drum for years now here on SA Rocks. It finally seems as though the numbers are growing and the perceptions are changing, slightly. It finally seems as though people want to want, to stay here (ye, that’s a tricky little sentence to write out).
Columnist Chris Moerdyk came out with his latest piece on News 24 today. And what’s it about? Being positive in South Africa and having justifiable cause to feel that way.
Now before all the naysayers jump on to this post and slam the concept, please let me reiterate for the billionth time, I am not denying that SA has troubles, issues and problems. I have merely highlighting the fact that not everything is as bad all the time as many make it out to be. We have a lot to be proud of as South Africans living in SA.
Here are a few facts from Moerdyk’s column:
- “South Africa is probably the leading economy in the world.” (CNBC Europe)
- South Africa’s Rand is the second best-performing emerging market currency of the 26 monitored by Bloomberg in 2009.
- South Africa sold $1.8bn worth of cars to the US last year, putting us ahead of Sweden and Italy as suppliers to the US market.
- The International Monetary Forum’s World Economic Outlook ranks us in the top 10% of countries in respect of Real GDP Growth Projections for 2010.
- In the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Survey of Democratic Freedom we rank 31st of of 184 countries.
- South Africa ranks second worldwide in terms of the transparency surrounding its budgets – just behind the United Kingdom, tie with France, and ahead of New Zealand and the United States – according to the Open Budget Index.
- Johannesburg ranks 2nd among countries from Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa in dealing with urbanisation and environmental challenges, in the MasterCard Insights Report on Urbanisation and Environmental Challenges.
For the rest of the list and the entire column head over to News 24 and read the column there.
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