Social growth keeps South Africa moving forward
BRYANSTON- Editor of Wham Media, Paul Perreira, gave a presentation at the Free Market Foundation in Bryanston about social change in South Africa.
Wham Media delivers concepts that contribute to positive change to social investment companies.
Perreira said, “We [South Africans] are changing all the time, as a society and country.”
He spoke about the importance of change and how South Africa has evolved when it comes to education, lifestyle, health and success.
With an emphasis on “being real,” Perreira began his talk on inequality, demonstrating the fluctuating trends South Africans have endured in the last 10 years.
He pointed out the income growth many people have experienced. The growth of income implies more opportunities, especially within the youth. He said the youth are driven to be successful earlier in life, and often find themselves achieving more at a younger age than the generation before them.
“We are slowly aging, and the population is being supported by the younger generation,” he stated.
His statistics showed the audience that there has been progress in healthcare and more people benefit from good health, saying with better health, people have more options.
Social grants have increased to R16.5 million. “This increase has become the difference between destitution and moving up the ladder,” said Perreira.
The six millions jobs government has spoken about creating is a concern. He said these poorly-paid unskilled jobs will give people only temporary employment. He believes unions and bargaining councils will lose their power and be replaced with new councils.
He focused on the increase in students at university and said graduations have doubled. However an audience member pointed out that the graduates’ level of skill is often weak. Perreira concluded with the school environment, noting a decrease in teenage pregnancies but higher abortion statistics.
