Opinion | South Africa Is Failing Its Citizens – The GNU Cannot Escape Blame

The 2025 Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) delivers a brutal verdict: South Africa has slipped to 77th place globally. That’s seven places lower than our position in 2021.

While first-world nations lead the rankings, our decline cannot be excused by global inequality. The uncomfortable truth is that our Government of National Unity (GNU) is failing to deliver even the basics.

South Africa now trails behind Mauritius, Rwanda, Botswana, and Morocco in Africa. These countries are not richer than us — they are better governed. Botswana has embraced digitalisation.

Morocco is investing in infrastructure and transparency. Rwanda has strengthened accountability. South Africa, meanwhile, is stuck in decline, led by politicians who talk endlessly but act too little.

Dead Last in Jobs and Safety

The most damning detail? South Africa ranks last out of 120 countries for employment and personal safety. Citizens face a job market with a catastrophic 33% unemployment rate — rising to nearly 43% when including those who’ve given up hope.

At the same time, crime continues to terrorise communities, making this one of the most unsafe countries in the world. These failures are not abstract statistics. They represent broken families, crushed dreams, and young people robbed of futures.

The GNU promised stability and renewal. Instead, it has delivered paralysis. Political compromises and endless power struggles have left citizens paying the price. Leaders talk about “exploring avenues” for job creation, while citizens are forced to survive in an economy that offers neither dignity nor opportunity.

A Youthful Nation, A Wasted Opportunity

Over 70% of South Africa’s population is under 30. That should be our greatest asset — but without real reform, it risks becoming our greatest crisis. The GNU has one job: deliver jobs, education, and safety. Yet, its failures are cementing South Africa’s reputation as a country in decline.

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The CGGI sends a message that can no longer be ignored: South Africa is being failed by its leaders. The GNU is squandering the nation’s potential while other African nations pull ahead.

Until those in power put citizens before political survival, we will keep sliding in the rankings — and South Africans will continue to pay the price.

SurgeZirc SA | Opinion Desk

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