South Africa is the second largest economy on the African continent, recently surpassed by Nigeria. It has abundant natural and mineral resources, a relatively sophisticated infrastructure, and a well-developed private sector. The Government is undertaking a number of initiatives to promote economic growth, in particular, addressing the critical skills gaps in the country. Lack of inward investment and poorly-skilled personnel is a serious impediment to South Africa’s growth as a developed economy

Inequality and the delivery of basic services to all citizens remain major challenges for the Government. South Africa has been severely affected by HIV and AIDS, with an estimated 17.9% of the adult population (people aged 15-49 years) living with HIV in 2014.

The strain of this high prevalence rate on already poor health facilities and the burden on social services is immense. The impact of HIV and AIDS is most severely felt by the poor people, particularly vulnerable groups such as women, children and the elderly. 

Linked to the pandemic are the high levels of rape and domestic abuse that are prevalent in South Africa. In this regard, the country also experiences extremely high levels of violence, in particular, gender-based violence, which aggravates the incidence and vulnerability to HIV and severely impacts on women and girls.

Irish Aid has provided development assistance to South Africa since 1994. The current Ireland in South Africa Strategy‌ runs from 2017 to 2021, and will provided over €10m, aimed at addressing the development of critical skills, building education links and reducing gender based violence.

Education Skills and Development

There are two key elements to our work in this area. The first is the Kader Asmal fellowship programme, which provides scholarships to students from South Africa to study at Master's degree level in Ireland. On their return to South Africa, recipients of the fellowship are supported and encouraged to develop and maintain links with Irish scholars and businesses through the alumni association. In 2017, a new alumni association for Irish fellowship students was formed to promote and sustain links between graduates and contacts made whilst in Ireland.

This contributes to long-lasting links between Ireland and South Africa. In 2018,13  students were successfully selected to participate in the programme, studying areas ranging from economics to climate change

The second is support for life skills training in selected institutes of vocational training, and the promotion of greater links between South African and Irish institutes of higher education. In 2018, we successfully expanded these life skills training programmes to cover 5 technical and vocational institutes across the country, ensuring this successful model of life skills training is taken to scale.

Gender based violence (GBV)

Gender-based violence remains a significant concern in South Africa and is part of a wider generalised violence. Widespread unemployment, coupled with alcohol/substance abuse, leave women particularly vulnerable to violence in a society where 20,000 murders were reported last year. Irish Aid supports selected projects that focus on violence prevention. In addition, we fund community-based organisations that provide assistance to survivors of GBV. An example of this work is the Sonke Gender Justice programme which mobilises communities on GBV, tracks the progress of reported cases through the justice system, and works with disadvantaged men understand their context and raise awareness on this issue.

At a national level, we work together with the UN and a number of agencies in South African civil society to improve coordination in this area, ensuring that resources are allocated to assist survivors and implement prevention activities and advocacy with government to take greater stewardship for this problem.

Further detail on the Irish Aid programme in South Africa is available in the South Africa Country Strategy 2017-2021.

Ireland’s Development Assistance Annual Reports detail the many results delivered through Ireland’s aid programme, across our partner countries, including South Africa. They include key policy developments and details of Ireland’s overseas development assistance across the world.