Abstract

Since 1994, the democratic government in South Africa has worked hard at improving the lives of the black majority, yet close to half the population lives in poverty, jobs are scarce, and the country is more unequal than ever. For millions, the colour of people’s skin still decides their destiny. In his wide-ranging, incisive and provocative analysis, Hein Marais shows that although the legacies of apartheid and colonialism weigh heavy, many of the strategic choices made since the early 1990s have compounded those handicaps. Marais explains why those choices were made, where they went awry, and why South Africa’s vaunted formations of the left -- old and new -- have failed to prevent or alter them. From the real reasons behind President Jacob Zuma’s rise and the purging of his predecessor, Thabo Mbeki, to a devastating critique of the country’s continuing AIDS crisis, its economic path and its approach to the rights and entitlements of citizens, South Africa Pushed to the Limit presents a riveting benchmark analysis of the incomplete journey beyond apartheid.
Hein Marais is a South African writer, journalist and author of 'South Africa: Limits to Change - The Political Economy of Transition' (Zed Books, 1998 & 2001), 'To the Edge' (2000) and 'Buckling: The impact of AIDS in South Africa' (2005), as well as numerous other book chapters, essays and articles.
'An extraordinary achievement. This is, by a considerable margin, the best book yet on the political economy of South Africa. Marais combines an unrivalled knowledge of the literature with a prose style that is accessible, moving and witty.' John Sender, Emeritus Professor of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London 'A classic. I doubt whether anyone can match Marais' grasp of where South Africa is at today.' Bill Freund, Professor of Economic History, University of KwaZulu-Natal and author of 'The Making of Contemporary Africa' 'Combining powerful analysis with a wealth of documentation, this book provides by far the best overview of political, economic and social change in post-apartheid South Africa. Essential reading for anyone trying to understand one of the great social experiments of our time.' Gillian Hart, Professor of Geography and Chair of Development Studies at the University of California at Berkeley and author of 'Disabling Globalization: Places of power in post-apartheid South Africa'