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Improved health care, education key factors
Philani Makhanya
2004-10-11

South Africa has the lowest fertility rate on mainland Africa and this has been attributed to improved primary health care and progress made in the provision of education in the rural areas.

The comments were made by Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya at the fifth Joint Population Conference in Durban yesterday. He also said that the population was continuing to urbanise at a rapid rate and that HIV/AIDS was a major factor influencing population trends. Skweyiya said Statistics SA had estimated that the country's fertility rate would be 2.77% this year. This is the lowest fertility rate on mainland Africa and reflects the positive overall impact of our reconstruction and development programme.

A key element of that programme was to improve primary health care, including reproductive health services, especially in the rural areas, said Skweyiya. One of the department's immediate challenges was to accelerate the economic and social integration of youngsters into society, he said. We have to provide them with the skills and opportunities to play a productive role in the development of our nation, Skweyiya said.

We also have to combat drug abuse, crime and other social ills that are affecting many of our youth. Skweyiya described poverty reduction for people who had just arrived in the cities as the top priority for his department. We have to ensure that urban migrants do not have to endure poverty and unemployment in the cities. The national and provincial governments in partnership with the academic community must work together to enhance the planning and management capacity of local governments, he said. (Source: The Mercury, 7 October, 2004)

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