Seventy-six percent of people in SA used to feel the country was going in the right direction from the early years after 1994, but now just 42% think so.
This was revealed in the Development Indicators 2014 report released by Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe. The report tracks progress towards achieving the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030.
Although the report does not state why this percentage has dropped, it notes that this calls for leadership at all levels and that the National Development Plan attributes leadership to integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, the ability to listen and to build enough support to drive an essential but not necessarily popular agenda.
It further warns of the danger of gender representativity at all levels of the legislature since 1994 being reversed.
"While at a national level representation showed a slight decline from 43.3% to 43%, at a provincial level Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng show a decline in representation. None of the legislatures are close to approaching 50% representation; the closest are Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
"At local government level, women representation is even more unimpressive. This is not a good scenario because it is at this level where public service provision and women roles interface the most. For example, it is local government that deals with the provision of water," the report notes.
The report also reveals government progress on other issues including corruption, job creation, education, voter registration and social grants.
Radebe said consistent with the Labour Force Surveys, the report reflects that one in four working-age adults actively seeking employment remained unemployed during the period under review.
In 2014, youth unemployment reached a peak of 48.8% among the 15-24 year age group and 29.6% among the age group 25-34.
"Reducing South Africa's high levels of unemployment requires the economy to be on a labour-absorbing growth path, as well as the development of entrepreneurship amongst our youth, in terms of interest, skills and creation of opportunities."
The report said voter registration and participation were declining and the Institute for Security Studies had suggested introducing an automatic registration system where the state automatically registered eligible voters. This could help increase participation, it said.
Fewer people think SA is still on right path
Seventy-six percent of people in SA used to feel the country was going in the right direction from the early years after 1994, but now just 42% think so.
This was revealed in the Development Indicators 2014 report released by Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe. The report tracks progress towards achieving the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030.
Although the report does not state why this percentage has dropped, it notes that this calls for leadership at all levels and that the National Development Plan attributes leadership to integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, the ability to listen and to build enough support to drive an essential but not necessarily popular agenda.
It further warns of the danger of gender representativity at all levels of the legislature since 1994 being reversed.
"While at a national level representation showed a slight decline from 43.3% to 43%, at a provincial level Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng show a decline in representation. None of the legislatures are close to approaching 50% representation; the closest are Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
"At local government level, women representation is even more unimpressive. This is not a good scenario because it is at this level where public service provision and women roles interface the most. For example, it is local government that deals with the provision of water," the report notes.
The report also reveals government progress on other issues including corruption, job creation, education, voter registration and social grants.
Radebe said consistent with the Labour Force Surveys, the report reflects that one in four working-age adults actively seeking employment remained unemployed during the period under review.
In 2014, youth unemployment reached a peak of 48.8% among the 15-24 year age group and 29.6% among the age group 25-34.
"Reducing South Africa's high levels of unemployment requires the economy to be on a labour-absorbing growth path, as well as the development of entrepreneurship amongst our youth, in terms of interest, skills and creation of opportunities."
The report said voter registration and participation were declining and the Institute for Security Studies had suggested introducing an automatic registration system where the state automatically registered eligible voters. This could help increase participation, it said.
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