South Africa

 
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of Kwazulu Natal. It is a sophisticated cosmopolitan city of over three million people and has been described as a city where east meets west. It is known as the busiest port in South Africa and is also a major centre for tourism due to the cities warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches.
 
Just over 16 years since its first democratic elections, South Africa is an important player in the southern Africa region, accounting for about 70% of the region’s GDP.  The country’s 15 year review, published in 2008, recognised remarkable progress in addressing the legacy of decades of apartheid.
 
However, it also emphasises that South Africa remains a highly unequal society with critical challenges around poverty, unemployment, skills and health. 26% of the population still live on less than $1.25 a day.
 
Until 1994 South Africa was ruled by a white minority government. The white government which came to power in 1948 enforced a separation of races with its policy called apartheid. It dictated that black and white communities should live in separate areas, travel in different buses and stand in their own queues.
 
The government introduced grand social engineering schemes such as the forced resettlement of hundreds of thousands of people. It poisoned and bombed opponents and encouraged trouble in neighbouring countries.
 
The apartheid government eventually negotiated itself out of power, and the new leadership encouraged reconciliation. But the cost of the years of conflict will be paid for a long time yet, not least in terms of lawlessness, social disruption and lost education.
 
South Africa faces major problems, but having held four successful national elections as well as local polls since the end of white rule, a democratic culture appears to be taking hold, allowing people at least some say in the search for solutions.
 
Considered Africa’s super power South Africa has the continent's biggest economy, though this went into recession in May 2009 following a sharp slowdown in the mining and manufacturing sectors. The construction industry, on the other hand, has benefited from a huge programme of government investment ahead of the 2010 World Cup.
 
Many South Africans remain poor and unemployment is high. Land redistribution is an ongoing issue. Most farmland is still white-owned. The government aims to transfer 30% of farmland to black South Africans by 2014.
 
Sadly South Africa has the second-highest number of HIV/Aids patients in the world. Around one in seven of its citizens is infected with HIV. Free anti-retroviral drugs are available under a state-funded scheme but the disease continues to be one of the countries biggest killers.

WhizzKids United

Durban, South Africa

Delivering effective HIV & AIDS prevention, care, support and treatment to youth worldwide through the medium of football.