The biggest problem in South Africa today is that, for the past 30 years, there has been no real economic plan for the future. This failure to plan has resulted in inadequate infrastructure, sluggish economic activity, and a complete breakdown of many essential social services. It’s not a recent issue—it’s the tragic reality of South Africa.
South Africa has always been a tragedy or, at the very least, a tragedy in the making. And the greatest tragedy of all is that when the new political elite took over in 1996, they weren’t thinking about the country’s future. They were thinking about themselves. What began as political self-interest soon turned into open, bare-faced criminality—stealing, looting, and hollowing out every institution they could get their hands on.
Now, the population has to foot the bill for this looting spree. VAT increases, higher taxes, skyrocketing fuel prices, and electricity costs that are outright criminal when compared to what they were before 1996. Politicians don’t like talking about this. In fact, they deny it outright. But they know it’s true.
A Growing Population, But No Growth in the Economy
In 1996, South Africa had a population of about 40.58 million people. Fast forward to 2025, and the population now stands at an estimated 64.7 million. That’s an increase of over 20 million people in just 30 years. Now, imagine that kind of growth with no real economic development, no significant infrastructure expansion, and no serious job creation efforts. It’s an absolute joke.
Instead of developing industries, expanding infrastructure, and creating a sustainable economy, the government has focused on short-term gains and political patronage. And now, outside of a shrinking private sector and a dwindling public sector, there are fewer and fewer formal jobs available. What’s left is a brutal reality:
The only real way to make money in South Africa today is through entrepreneurship.
The Rise of Small Business and Informal Trade
Because the formal job sector has collapsed for most people—except for the well-connected few with cushy corporate jobs—South Africans have turned to entrepreneurship, side hustles, and self-employment to survive. You see it everywhere:
• Second-hand clothing traders
• Second-hand furniture dealers
• Craftsmen and artisans selling at weekend markets
• Street vendors and informal traders
• Independent franchise owners
• People exchanging skills and labour for direct income
It’s not because people want to be entrepreneurs—it’s because they have no choice. The reality is that there are no new jobs being created. What we have now is job replacement, not job growth.
Hats Off to South Africa’s Entrepreneurs
In a country where the government has failed spectacularly, it’s the entrepreneurs, small business owners, and informal traders who are keeping things going. Every day, thousands of South Africans find ways to make ends meet—not through government handouts, not through corporate careers, but through sheer determination, skill, and hustle.
To those who wake up every morning and make their own opportunities, hats off to you. You are the real backbone of the South African economy.
The government isn’t going to save this country. The corporations aren’t going to create jobs for everyone. The only way forward is self-reliance, small business, and entrepreneurship. And the people who understand this are the ones who will thrive.
