South Africa Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! == Infrastructure == === Roads === [[File:Mandela Bridge, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.jpg|thumb|The [[Nelson Mandela Bridge]] in [[Johannesburg]]]] South Africa has a total road network of 750,000 kilometres, the largest of any African country and the [[List of countries by road network size|12th largest in the world]]. According to [[SANRAL]], the road network is valued at more than R2.1 trillion. SANRAL manages national roads and has a network of 22 197 kilometres of paved roads. Provinces are responsible for 222 951 kilometres while, according to the DoT, the municipal network is estimated at 275 661 kilometres of the proclaimed network. The rest are unproclaimed gravel roads (mainly serving rural communities) and are therefore not owned or maintained by any road authority. The country has more than 12 million motor vehicles with an average density of 16 motor vehicles per kilometre. The provincial road network is about 222 951 kilometres in length, consisting of 170 837 kilometres of unpaved and 52 114 kilometres of paved roads.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.treasury.gov.za/default.aspx|title=National Treasury|website=www.treasury.gov.za|accessdate=7 April 2023}}</ref> === Railways === {{Main|Rail transport in South Africa}} [[File:Gautrain..., O R Tambo Intl Airport South Africa.jpg|thumb|[[Gautrain]] [[Higher-speed rail|higher-speed]] commuter rail]] Rail transport in South Africa is an important element of the country's [[Transportation infrastructure|transport infrastructure]]. All major cities are connected by rail. [[Transnet Freight Rail]] mainly operates freight services while [[Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa|PRASA]] operates commuter services. State-owned utility Transnet Freight Rail is the largest freight rail transport operator on the African continent, the company maintains a rail network of approximately 31,000 kilometres but only 20,900 kilometres of this are in use.<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Africa Transnet Freight Rail |url=https://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/south-africa-transnet-freight-rail |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=www.trade.gov |date=5 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref> South Africa's railway system is the most developed and largest in Africa as well as the [[List of countries by rail transport network size|13th largest in the world]]; however, freight, passenger and port capacity shortages remain a severe constraint in domestic and regional trade.<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Africa – Rail Infrastructure |url=https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/south-africa-rail-infrastructure |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=www.trade.gov |language=en}}</ref> Coal and iron ore are mainly transported on these lines, the country's rail network carried nearly 230 million tons of freight in 2017 however, this has declined to 179 million tons in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Daniel |first=Compiled by Luke |title=SA's railways have lost a quarter of its freight in five years – making already bad roads worse |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/bi-archive/more-trucks-on-south-african-roads-because-of-rail-collapse-2022-7 |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> === Airports === {{Main|List of airports in South Africa}} [[File:South African Airways Airbus A340-313 ZS-SXE MUC 2015 01.jpg|thumb|[[South African Airways]] [[Airbus A340]] at [[Munich Airport]]]] South Africa has international airports in six cities: [[Johannesburg]], [[Cape Town]], [[Durban]], [[Gqeberha|Port Elizabeth]], [[Kimberley Airport|Kimberley]] and [[Nelspruit Airport|Nelspruit]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yadav |first=Lalit |date=2021-12-02 |title=These 7 Awesome Airports In South Africa Are Making Travel Easy |url=https://traveltriangle.com/blog/airports-in-south-africa/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> As of 2021, South Africa had 407 airports, making it the leading country in Africa in terms of airport ownership and the country ranked 20th globally.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Airports – The World Factbook |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/airports/country-comparison |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=www.cia.gov}}</ref> The four [[List of South African airports by passenger movements|major]] airports in South Africa are: [[O. R. Tambo International Airport|O.R. Tambo International Airport]] in Johannesburg, [[Cape Town International Airport]], [[King Shaka International Airport]] in Durban and [[Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport]] in Port Elizabeth. O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg is Africa's largest and busiest airport which receives over 21 million passengers a year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-08 |title=Top 10 largest airports in Africa |url=https://theafricalogistics.com/2019/07/08/top-10-largest-airports-in-africa/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=The Africa Logistics |language=en-US}}</ref> During the 2022 [[Skytrax]] World Airport Awards, Cape Town International Airport was voted the best airport on the African continent for the seventh consecutive year, Durban's King Shaka International Airport was voted the second best in Africa and Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport came third place.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Daniel |first=Luke |title=Cape Town voted best airport in Africa – for 7th year in a row – but its global rank slides |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/bi-archive/cape-town-airport-still-best-in-africa-but-drops-globally-2022-6 |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> === Energy === {{main|Energy in South Africa}} {{See also|Eskom|List of power stations in South Africa}} [[File:Koebergnps.jpg|thumb|The [[Koeberg Nuclear Power Station|Koeberg Power Station]], the only [[nuclear power plant]] on the entire African continent]] South Africa has a very large energy sector and is currently the only country on the African continent that possesses a [[Koeberg Nuclear Power Station|nuclear power plant]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Refurbishment – NS Energy |url=https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/koeberg-nuclear-power-station-refurbishment/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |language=en-US}}</ref> The country is the largest producer of electricity on the African continent and it ranks 21st globally.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Electricity – production – Country Comparison – TOP 100 |url=https://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?v=79&t=100 |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.indexmundi.com |language=en}}</ref> South Africa is the [[List of countries by coal production|7th largest coal producer]] in the world and produces in excess of 248 million [[tonne]]s of [[coal]] and consumes almost three-quarters of that domestically. Around 77% of South Africa's energy needs are directly derived from coal and 92% of coal consumed on the African continent is mined in South Africa. South Africa is also the world's 14th largest emitter of [[greenhouse gas]]es.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prater |first=Tom |date=2018-10-15 |title=The Carbon Brief Profile: South Africa |url=https://www.carbonbrief.org/the-carbon-brief-profile-south-africa/ |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=Carbon Brief |language=en}}</ref> The country's primary electricity generator is Eskom, the utility is the largest producer of electricity in [[Africa]], and is among the top seven utilities in the world in terms of generation capacity and among the top nine in terms of sales.<ref name=as>{{Cite web |first1=Antony |last1=Sguazzin |first2=Prinesha |last2=Naidoo |first3=Paul |last3=Burkhardt |title=Eskom turns 100 next year – here's how it went from world best to SA's biggest economic risk |url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/economy/eskom-turns-100-next-year-heres-how-it-went-from-world-best-to-sas-biggest-economic-risk-20220927 |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Business |language=en-US}}</ref> It is the largest of [[State-owned enterprises of South Africa|South Africa's state owned enterprises]]. Eskom generates approximately 95% of electricity in South Africa and operates a number of notable [[power station]]s, including the [[Koeberg Nuclear Power Station]] in Cape Town, the only nuclear power plant in Africa, [[Kendal Power Station]], the largest dry-cooled power station in the world,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-11 |title=100 Years – Eskom Heritage |url=https://www.eskom.co.za/heritage/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=www.eskom.co.za |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as [[Duvha Power Station]] which became the first power station in the world to be retrofitted with [[Dust collector#Reverse jet|pulse jet fabric filter]] plants.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-16 |title=Coal fired power stations – Eskom |url=https://www.eskom.co.za/eskom-divisions/gx/coal-fired-power-stations/ |access-date=2023-04-23 |website=www.eskom.co.za |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2001 Eskom was named the best electricity utility in the entire world.<ref name=as /> ==== Energy crisis ==== {{Main|South African energy crisis}} [[File:Kusilekragsentrale, Mpumalanga, 2019, a.jpg|thumb|The [[Kusile Power Station]] was built as a response to the energy crisis. When fully operational it will be the 4th largest [[coal-fired power station]] in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Engineering News – Kusile power plant project, South Africa – update |url=https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/print-version/kusilepower-plant-project-south-africa-update-2023-02-24#:~:text=The%20Kusile%20power%20station%20project,power%20station%20in%20the%20world. |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=Engineering News |language=en}}</ref>]]Due to severe mismanagement and [[Corruption in South Africa|corruption]] at Eskom, the company is R392bn ($22bn) in debt and is unable to meet the demands of the South African power grid.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Problems at Eskom Identified as a Main Cause of SA's Energy Crisis |url=https://caes.ukzn.ac.za/news/problems-at-eskom-identified-as-a-main-cause-of-sas-energy-crisis/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science |language=en-ZA}}</ref> Due to this, Eskom implemented [[loadshedding]], which is periodically switching off electricity to specific power grids in specific time frames. In South Africa, load shedding is done to prevent a failure of the entire system when the demand for electricity strains the capacity of Eskom's power generating system. Load shedding is characterized by periods of widespread national-level rolling blackouts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How Eskom & The Government Can Put An End To Loadshedding in South Africa |url= https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/blogs/53187/how-the-government-eskom-can-put-an-end-to-load-shedding/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website= Greenpeace Africa |language=en}}</ref> Eskom's latest energy availability factor (EAF) data reveals that mismanagement, corruption, poor maintenance, and sabotage caused power station breakdowns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dailyinvestor.com/south-africa/14194/eskoms-coal-fired-power-station-breakdown-lie/|title=Eskom's coal-fired power station breakdown lie – Daily Investor}}</ref> In 2023 the [[South African National Defence Force|South African Military]] was deployed to protect Eskom's power stations from sabotage and theft.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Army guards four Eskom power stations |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-17/south-africa-deploys-army-at-four-eskom-power-stations |access-date=2023-04-02 |newspaper=Bloomberg |date=17 December 2022 |language=en-ZA}}</ref> In 2007 Eskom started the construction of the "[[Kusile Power Station|Kusile]]" and "[[Medupi Power Station|Medupi]]" power stations, the two mega power stations will be the largest dry-cooled power stations in the world and among the largest power stations in the world scheduled for completion in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=David |date=2021-08-17 |title=Explosion at Eskom's New Power Unit 'Medupi' May Push South Africa Blackouts to Record |url=https://auctusmetals.com/explosion-at-eskoms-new-power-unit-medupi-may-push-south-africa-blackouts-to-record/ |access-date=2023-04-23 |website=Auctus Metals: Expert Precious Metal Portfolio Management Services |language=en-US}}</ref> However, these power stations have never met their deadline date with only half of their six units completed and operational mainly caused by long delays and massive cost overruns exceeding more than R300 billion ($16bn) for the two power stations combined, and are only expected to be completed by 2024 or 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-29 |title=Energy crisis: Another R33-billion needed to complete Medupi and Kusile |url=https://mg.co.za/news/2022-09-29-energy-crisis-another-r33-billion-needed-to-complete-medupi-and-kusile/ |access-date=2023-04-23 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}</ref> === Science and technology === {{Main|Science and technology in South Africa}} [[File:Mark Shuttleworth NASA.jpg|thumb|[[Mark Shuttleworth]] in space]] Several important scientific and technological developments have originated in South Africa. South Africa was ranked 59th in the [[Global Innovation Index]] in 2023, up from 63rd in 2019.<ref>{{Cite book |last=WIPO |title=Global Innovation Index 2023, 15th Edition |url=https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2023/index.html |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=www.wipo.int |date=2 November 2023 |publisher=World Intellectual Property Organization |doi=10.34667/tind.46596 |isbn=9789280534320 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Global Innovation Index 2019|url=https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2019/index.html|access-date=2 September 2021|website=www.wipo.int|language=en|archive-date=2 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902101818/https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2019/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=28 October 2013|title=Global Innovation Index|url=https://knowledge.insead.edu/entrepreneurship-innovation/global-innovation-index-2930|access-date=2 September 2021|website=INSEAD Knowledge|language=en|archive-date=2 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902101622/https://knowledge.insead.edu/entrepreneurship-innovation/global-innovation-index-2930|url-status=live}}</ref> The first human-to-human [[Heart transplantation|heart transplant]] was performed by cardiac surgeon [[Christiaan Barnard]] at [[Groote Schuur Hospital]] in December 1967; [[Max Theiler]] developed a [[Yellow fever vaccine|vaccine]] against [[yellow fever]], [[Allan MacLeod Cormack]] pioneered X-ray computed tomography ([[CT scan]]); and [[Aaron Klug]] developed [[Electron crystallography|crystallographic electron microscopy]] techniques. Cormack and Klug received [[Nobel Prize]]s for their work. [[Sydney Brenner]] won in 2002, for his pioneering work in [[molecular biology]]. [[Mark Shuttleworth]] founded an early Internet security company [[Thawte]]. It is the objective of the government to transition the economy to be more reliant on high technology, based on the realization South Africa cannot compete with Far Eastern economies in manufacturing, nor can it rely on its mineral wealth.{{cn|date=December 2023}} South Africa has cultivated a burgeoning [[astronomy]] community. It hosts the [[Southern African Large Telescope]], the largest [[optical telescope]] in the [[Southern Hemisphere]]. South Africa is currently building the [[MeerKAT|Karoo Array Telescope]] as a pathfinder for the €1.5 billion [[Square Kilometre Array]] project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.skatelescope.org/news/2nd-april-news/|title=SKA announces Founding Board and selects Jodrell Bank Observatory to host Project Office|publisher=SKA 2011|date=2 April 2011|access-date=14 April 2011|archive-date=29 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029041532/http://www.skatelescope.org/news/2nd-april-news/|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Transport=== {{Main|Transport in South Africa}} [[File:MyCiti Bus system Civic Centre station 2.JPG|thumb|[[MyCiTi]] Bus in [[Cape Town]]]] Modes of transport include roads, railways, airports, water, and pipelines for petroleum oil. The majority of people in South Africa use informal [[Share taxi|minibus taxis]] as their main mode of transport. [[Bus rapid transit]] has been implemented in some cities in an attempt to provide more formalised and safer public transport services. These systems have been widely criticised{{by whom|date=February 2024}} because of their large capital and operating costs. South Africa has many major ports including Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth that allow ships and other boats to pass through, some carrying passengers and some carrying [[Oil tanker|petroleum tankers]]. === Water supply and sanitation === {{Main|Water supply and sanitation in South Africa}} Two distinctive features of the South African water sector are the policy of free basic water and the existence of [[Water Board (South Africa)|water boards]], which are bulk water supply agencies that operate pipelines and sell water from reservoirs to municipalities. These features have led to significant problems concerning the financial sustainability of service providers, leading to a lack of attention to maintenance. Following the end of apartheid, the country had made improvements in the levels of access to water as those with access increased from 66% to 79% from 1990 to 2010.<ref name="JMP">[[WHO]]/[[UNICEF]]:[[Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation]]:[http://www.wssinfo.org/data-estimates/table/ Data table South Africa] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209002836/http://www.wssinfo.org/data-estimates/table/|date= 9 February 2014 }}, 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2012</ref> Sanitation access increased from 71% to 79% during the same period.<ref name="JMP" /> However, water supply and sanitation has come under increasing pressure in recent years despite a commitment made by the government to improve service standards and provide investment subsidies to the water industry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/688965/?sc=c59|title=Professor Says Cape Town Crisis Should Serve as a 'Wakeup Call to All Major U.S. Cities'|website=www.newswise.com|access-date=14 June 2018|archive-date=14 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614121654/http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/688965/?sc=c59|url-status=live}}</ref> The eastern parts of South Africa suffer from periodic droughts linked to the [[El Niño]] weather phenomenon.<ref name="whyCapeTownDroughtConversation">{{cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/why-cape-towns-drought-was-so-hard-to-forecast-84735|title=Why Cape Town's drought was so hard to forecast|first=Bruce|last=Hewitson|date=19 October 2017 |access-date=11 July 2018|archive-date=11 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711112014/https://theconversation.com/why-cape-towns-drought-was-so-hard-to-forecast-84735|url-status=live}}</ref> In early 2018, Cape Town, which has different weather patterns to the rest of the country,<ref name="whyCapeTownDroughtConversation"/> faced a water crisis as the city's water supply was predicted to run dry before the end of June. Water-saving measures were in effect that required each citizen to use less than {{Convert|50|l|gal}} per day.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-42982959 "The 11 cities most likely to run out of drinking water – like Cape Town"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213225140/https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-42982959|date=13 February 2018 }} 11 February 2018. BBC News.</ref> Cape Town rejected an offer from Israel to help it build [[desalination]] plants.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saundersonmeyer-drought-commentary/commentary-in-drought-hit-south-africa-the-politics-of-water-idUSKBN1FP226 In drought-hit South Africa, the politics of water] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122202625/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saundersonmeyer-drought-commentary/commentary-in-drought-hit-south-africa-the-politics-of-water-idUSKBN1FP226|date=22 November 2018 }}, Reuters, 25 January 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/cape-town-may-dry-up-because-of-an-aversion-to-israel-1519254816 Cape Town May Dry Up Because of an Aversion to Israel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214053920/https://www.wsj.com/articles/cape-town-may-dry-up-because-of-an-aversion-to-israel-1519254816|date=14 December 2021 }}, Wall St. Journal, 21 February 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.aish.com/jw/me/The-Cape-Town-Water-Crisis-and-Hating-Israel.html The Cape Town Water Crisis and Hating Israel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214053921/https://www.aish.com/jw/me/The-Cape-Town-Water-Crisis-and-Hating-Israel.html|date=14 December 2021 }}, aish, 11 February 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/South-African-stupidity-540605 South African stupidity] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214053918/https://www.jpost.com/opinion/south-african-stupidity-540605|date=14 December 2021 }}, Jerusalem Post, 3 February 2018</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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