Government

The State of the Nation in numbers

11 February 2011

7.3-million tourists in 2010, 5-million HIV/Aids tests since April, 400 000 more people with running water, R9-billion for job creation, R20-billion in tax breaks to boost manufacturing ... take a quick run-through of the figures contained in President Jacob Zuma's 2011 State of the Nation address.

21 years – since former President Nelson Mandela walked to freedom after 27 years as a political prisoner.

17 years – since South Africa's transition to a non-racial, non-sexist, equal and democratic society.

400 000 – the number of additional South Africans served with a basic water supply in 2010.

81% – the proportion of the country now electrified, compared to 63% in the year 2000.

8.6% – the decline in the murder rate in South Africa over the past year.

15-million – the number of South Africans currently receiving state social grants.

R9-billion – state fund to support job creation in South Africa over the next three years.

R10-billion – funds set aside by the Industrial Development Corporation for investment in economic activities with high job creation potential over the next five years.

R20-billion – tax allowances or tax breaks to be put in place to promote investment, expansion and upgrades in South Africa's manufacturing sector.

R550-million – funds set aside for infrastructure upgrades and expansions countrywide.

30% – the mining industry's contribution to South Africa's total export revenue.

7.3-million – the number of tourists that arrived in South Africa in 2010.

95 – the number of major international meetings and conferences that South Africa has already secured between now and 2016.

R2-billion – the contribution of the creative and cultural industries to South Africa's gross domestic product (GDP).

R475-million – the contribution of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival to the Western Cape economy.

2 000 – the number of jobs created during the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in 2010.

R75-billion – Eskom's investment in the new power stations Medupi, Kusile and Ingula, as well as the return to service and transmission of other projects.

400 000 – the number of South African households that should have security of tenure by 2014.

R2.6-billion – the amount that the government will spend on water services this year.

4.5-million – the number of work opportunities that the Expanded Public Works Programme aims to create.

800 – the number of construction jobs created by South Africa's bid for the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope.

6 000 – the number of students supported by Denel, Eskom, South African Airways and Transnet in acquiring technical and engineering-related scarce and critical skills.

105 – the number of nursing colleges that will be revitalised countrywide to train more nurses.

5-million – the number of voluntary HIV/Aids tests conducted since the launch of the testing campaign in April 2010.

700 000 – the number of first-time identity documents issued in Libode in the Eastern Cape following the launch of the National Population Registration Campaign.

R800-million – the funds allocated for immediate relief to assist communities affected by the recent floods across South Africa.

2 000 – South African National Defence Force personnel deployed as peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and the Central African Republic.

2.5-trillion – the value of South Africa's mining assets – in US dollars.

Source: Government Communication and Information System