Social Development

The role of South African women in politics has increased since the end of apartheid through policy changes and organisations set up to enable women's rights. Data from United Nations Women has shown that the country is faring decently in enabling women to take an active role in government.

A very real, critical – but overlooked – problem led one KwaZulu-Natal mother to design an award-winning out of the box solution. Project Dignity supplies Subz packs to rural and poor schoolgirls across the country, along with an innovative education solution. The project is so successful, it is being expanded to other African countries.

South Africa has held five national elections since 1994, one every five years. As we await the results of the country's latest national vote, which took place on 7 May 2014 in South Africa's 20th year of democracy, we look back at past election results, from 1994 to 2009.

Tight fiscal policy and well-targeted social support, such as child and disability grants and free basic services, have helped to lift millions of people out of poverty. If South Africa can ride out external factors, the World Bank states, its economy will grow and its social programmes will continue.

The Oscar Pistorius trial has focused attention on South Africa's justice system. Here is a guide to how this Roman-Dutch Law-based system prosecutes and punishes criminals.

Sixteen years. In that time South Africa will be a very different country, if the goals of Vision 2030, as set out in the National Development Plan, are met. The aim, among others, is to eliminate poverty and create 11-million jobs by the year 2030.