Afrique du Sud

À partir de données de panel pour l’Afrique du Sud, l’Indonésie, le Malawi et le Pérou, ce document de travail étudie la relation entre les transitions de et vers l’emploi formel et le revenu des travailleurs. Il démontre que le passage d’un emploi informel à un emploi formel augmente la probabilité d’améliorer le revenu des travailleurs en termes absolus et relatifs. Néanmoins, les gains de revenus ne sont pas distribués de la même manière : le passage à l’emploi formel bénéficie plus aux travailleurs qui ont déjà les revenus les plus élevés ; en revanche, les travailleurs les plus pauvres ont moins de chances d’améliorer leurs revenus. Les gains et les pertes de revenus diffèrent également selon le genre, l’âge et le niveau d’éducation. Les transitions sur le marché du travail ont des effets considérablement plus importants sur les revenus que les autres événements de la vie tels que les naissances, les séparations ou le décès d’un partenaire ou d’un conjoint.

Theoretical and empirical studies on multi-product firms have shown that firms adjust their product mix in response to trade liberalisation. This paper uses the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and National Treasury (NT) firm-level panel to assess the response of South African firms to trade policy changes and demand shocks in destination markets between 2010 and 2016. This paper shows that South African multi-product manufacturers shift their exports towards their core products when competition intensifies in their export destinations and that these dynamics lead to productivity gains at the firm level. Also, trade liberalisation policies in the destination country positively affect the number of exported goods (extensive margin) as well as the average value of already exported products (intensive margin) for multi-product exporters, whereas restrictive measures negatively affect the extensive margin. Regarding trade policy measures, results suggest that tariff liberalisation only amplifies the adjustment of South African exporters if tariff cuts affect South African firms directly, while tariff cuts benefitting other foreign competitors mitigate within firm adjustments. By contrast, the reduction of Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) always positively affects South African exporters.

This chapter presents efforts to mainstream environment into South Africa’s economic policy and promote greening of the economy. It examines the use of tax policy to pursue environmental objectives and progress in removing fiscal incentives that can encourage environmentally harmful activities. Opportunities for “green” tax reform are also assessed. The chapter includes a discussion of public and private investment in environmental protection and resource use, as well as environment-related infrastructure. Investment in “clean energy” and sustainable transport modes are also discussed. In addition, the chapter examines promotion of environmental technologies and eco-innovation as a source of economic growth and jobs.

After having achieved relative macroeconomic stability, South Africa’s government is now spearheading efforts to drive economic growth and reduce poverty. Prudent fiscal, trade and monetary policy stabilisation programmes, such as the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) strategy, have normalised the economic and investment environment. As a result, the national economy is doing well: the national budget is relatively healthy, and inflation rates and interest rates have been relatively low since 2000. After a decade of sluggish performance, growth has followed a more stable path, above the average OECD rate. However, despite democratisation and improved economic performance, South Africa faces significant unemployment, poverty and inequality. To reverse this situation, the central government launched the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) in 2006. AsgiSA was a result of the recognition that despite substantial economic achievements since the end of apartheid, the fruits of those successes were not widely shared. It focuses on unlocking binding constraints to higher economic growth and ensuring a wider distribution of growth yields, particularly with respect to increased job creation.

This chapter provides some key background information on the South African labour market, as well as the skills and education outcomes of adults. It focusses specifically on participation in post-school education and training and training opportunities provided by employers. This information contributes to a better understanding of the training needs among South African adults, and the role that a community education and training system could potentially play.