Even though South Africa is the largest economy in Africa and investment in the country is increasing, it still faces many problems.

Like many other African nations, South Africa’s population has serious health problems. In the last two decades AIDS has begun to spread rapidly throughout the country.  Today, 8 million people are infected with HIV, more than any other country the world.   

Corruption and crime are also big issues in South Africa.  According to the United Nations it is among the most dangerous countries in the world.  As a result , rich people are putting up fences and walls and have been hiring security companies to protect them from crime. 

Unemployment is very high in the country. About one third of the population do not have a job. In certain regions half of all youths are unemployed. As in many African countries, educated and skilled people are leaving South Africa and moving on to Europe or the United States.  

There is still a huge gap between the rich and poor in South Africa. Even though the situation of Blacks has improved almost half of them live below the poverty line. Many still live in townships, where electricity, clean water and adequate housing is not always available.



Township near Cape Town

Khayelitsha , a township near Cape Town
Image:Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0,
via Wikimedia Commons 



Words

  • according  to = as said or reported by someone
  • adequate = enough or of good quality
  • as a result = something happens because of something else  
  • corruption = bad behavior from someone who has power 
  • decade = ten years
  • economy = financial system of a country; how goods are bought and sold
  • educate = to go to school and learn things
  • electricity = the power that is carried by wires, cables etc, and is used to give light make machines work
  • even though = while
  • fence = something made of wood or metal that is around a house
  • gap = here: difference
  • hire = to pay someone to work for you
  • HIV = a type of virus  that enters the body through blood or sexual activity, and can grow into AIDS
  • housing = the houses that people live in
  • huge = very big
  • improve = to make better
  • increase = grow
  • infected = harmful bacteria that enters your body so that it cannot get better 
  • issue = topic , subject
  • investment = here: to put money into projects
  • poverty line = the income below which a person or a family is officially considered to be very poor and in need of help
  • protect = defend, guard
  • rapidly = very quickly
  • security company = a company that you pay to install machines in your house that protect you or keep you safe 
  • serious = important
  • skilled = someone who has the training to do something well
  • spread =  stretch, expand; or to move from one place to another
  • throughout = in all of
  • township = poor areas or suburbs of South African cities;
  • unemployment = being without a job
  • youth = young people