The ruling African National Congress (ANC) will seek to maintain unity in the build-up to a key congress in December 2007, when delegates will elect a new party leader. Thabo Mbeki may seek another term, if the party hierarchy agrees, which is not certain (although he cannot stand for national president again in 2009). Economic policy will focus on boosting investment in order to generate growth and employment. The investment (and construction) boom is expected to push real GDP growth to 5.1% in 2008 and 5.4% in 2009. Fairly strong global demand and high commodity prices will support exports, but buoyant import growth means that the current account is forecast to remain in deficit. |
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| Key Reports Available for South Africa |
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| Land area | | 1,219,090 sq km (Cape Town: 169,580; Free State: 129,480; Gauteng: 17,010; KwaZulu-Natal: 92,100; Limpopo: 123,910; Mpumalanga: 79,490; Northern Cape: 361,830; North West: 116,320; and Western Cape: 116,320) | | Population | | 48.7m (2008 estimate, Statistics South Africa) | | Main towns | | Population, '000 (2001 official estimates); metropolitan areas: | | Johannesburg 3,226 East Rand/Ekurhuleni 2,480 | | Durban/Ethekwini 3,090 Pretoria/Tshwane (capital) 1,986 | | Cape Town 2,893 Port Elizabeth/Nelson Mandela Bay 1,006 | | Climate | | Temperate, warm and sunny | | Weather in Johannesburg (altitude 1,769 metres) | | Hottest month, January, 14-26°C (average daily minimum and maximum); coldest month, July, 4-16°C; driest month, June, 6 mm average rainfall; wettest month, January, 150 mm | | Weather in Cape Town (altitude 17 metres) | | Hottest month, February, 16-26°C (average daily minimum and maximum); coldest month, July, 7-17°C; driest month, February, 10 mm average rainfall; wettest month, July, 92 mm | | Languages | | Official languages: Afrikaans, English, IsiNdebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Swazi, Xitsonga, Setswana, Tshivenda, IsiXhosa and IsiZulu; other African, Asian and European languages are also spoken | | Measures | | Metric system | | Currency | | Rand (R)=100 cents; average exchange rate in 2007: R7.05:US$1; exchange rate on August 14th 2008: R7.84:US$1 | | Fiscal year | | April-March | | Time | | 2 hours ahead of GMT | | Public holidays | | January 1st (New Year's Day), March 21st (Human Rights Day), Good Friday, Easter Monday, April 27th (Freedom Day), May 1st (Workers' Day), June 16th (Youth Day), August 9th (National Women's Day), September 24th (Heritage Day), December 16th (Day of Reconciliation), December 25th (Christmas Day), December 26th (Day of Goodwill). If any of these days falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a public holiday | | SOURCE: Country Profile |
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