State of the nation: South Africa 2005-2006

Abstract

State of the Nation: South Africa 2005-06 is the third in the HSRC?s exciting annual volume of essays on aspects of contemporary politics, economics, society and international relations in South Africa. This series has, in a relatively short period, become established as part of the annual South African scholarly calendar. Coverage in the media, international as well as South African, has been extensive; controversies have been stirred; both previous volumes have been prescribed as university texts locally and abroad; they have found their way into South African embassies around the world and foreign embassies in South Africa; and most importantly, many ordinary South Africans have purchased the books simply to find out more about the complex and fascinating country we live in.

Like the previous two editions, this edition draws together a wide and exciting set of analyses, written by contributors from universities, civil society organisations and the media, as well as from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). State of the Nation: South Africa 2005-06 includes chapters on the state of land restitution, Parliament, South African soccer, the Chinese communities of South Africa, science and mathematics education, research and development, black economic empowerment, the labour market, the informal economy. There are chapters on the emerging development state, the service delivery targets set by the President in 2004, the implementation of the socio-economic rights provisions of the Constitution, and three chapters on South Africa's growing economic involvement in Africa.