The end of white-rule in 1994, gave the black majority a vote, but couldn't instantly reverse the legacy of centuries of institutional neglect of services, education and basic rights. It is a legacy South Africa still struggles with. The average life expectancy in the country is around fifty years for both men and women, and around half the population live below the official poverty line of an income of a dollar a day.
HIV is a major issue for the country. Around one in seven South Africans is HIV positive and this has a tremendous effect on all aspects of society: family life, relationships, education, productivity and the country's economic outlook.
However, the country is Africa's economic powerhouse and the standard of living for many South Africans is increasing rapidly, as the black middle class becomes continues to grow. Primary education is compulsory and free and adult literacy rates in are some of the best on the continent, at a national average of around 85%.
The areas where Dramatic Need works are some of the poorer areas in the country. The Free State is a former Independent Afrikaner Republic, with over 30,000 farms, which produce 70 percent of the country's grain. It is an exceptionally beautiful part of South Africa, but like in most rural areas all over the world families deriving income from farm work can live in terrible poverty. It is one of the poorest provinces in South Africa and has the third highest HIV rates in the country.
The North-West Province was created after the end of Apartheid in 1994, and includes parts of the former Transvaal province and Cape Province, as well as most of the former Bantustan of Bophuthatswana. It derives its income largely from mining and related industries and is known as the 'Platinum Province'. Because of this booming industry, many people from around South Africa have gravitated to the North West in hope of finding work. Too many people for too few jobs results in sprawling squatter camps surrounding the mines and many of these unofficial North Western residents live in extreme poverty.
A word about personal safety
In the years since the end of apartheid South Africa has developed a reputation for violent crime. It sadly is true that the country is in the grip of a crime epidemic, with the major cities being particularly hard hit.The safety of our volunteers is our top priority, so all people participating in the Dramatic Need programme take part in a personal safety workshop conducted by a professional soldier before departure.
In addition, the rural areas where Dramatic Need works are less impacted by crime than the cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town, and in many cases are statistically less dangerous than certain parts of London.
If you would like to volunteer but have concerns about personal safety that might be holding you back, please contact us to talk about them before making a final decision to apply to the programme. We might be able to help put your mind at rest.