Study Abroad | Stellenbosch
Summer 2025: Academics

Course Code: SSA 216/316 (Mandatory)

Instruction Language: English

For too long, Africa has been tainted by a Western skepticism of its past and potential development performance. The African caricature is not only reinforced by the popular media in their portrayal of famine, civil war and HIV/Aids on the continent, but also in more credible sources: In their seminal contribution Collier and Gunning (1999) explain Africa’s post-colonial economic performance as a “chronic failure of economic growth”. The widely-held belief that Africa has always been poor, “underdeveloped”, and will remain so, is succinctly summarized by The Economist (2000), referring to Africa as “the hopeless continent” that would never escape recurring crises. Of course, these pessimistic perspectives have their roots in the lackluster economic performance of many African countries in the four decades following independence. Average life expectancy of a child born in sub-Saharan Africa in 1980 was only 48 years (this before the onset of HIV/Aids that would further decrease life expectancy in many African countries) and daily calorie intake was only 70 per cent of that of Latin America and East Asia (Hopkins 2009). But to suggest that African countries have always been underdeveloped is not only careless but wrong. African countries are rapidly emerging from the yokes of colonialism and fragile institutions that hampered post-independence development. Six of the top ten fastest growing economies in the decade 2000 – 2010 were African. A massive market is emerging, spurred on by greater investment in infrastructure, technology and human capital. Even the recent global recession had little effect on most African countries growth trajectory. This course will bring together leading experts on Southern African countries’ economic and development opportunities. Doing business in a developing country raises numerous challenges. The course begins with an introduction of Africa’s past and present development performance, and economic outlook. Complex trade-offs arise from trade, integration and competition policy issues. A developmental focus necessitates entrepreneurs and big business to act socially, ethically and to be environmentally responsible. Cognisant of these challenges, Southern African countries are open for business.

Course Code: SSA 202/302 (Mandatory)

Instruction Language: English

This course serves as an introduction to South Africa’s political history, aimed at familiarising students with the historical context that shaped, and continues to shape, the country and its people. Understanding the interplay between the country’s political, social and economic issues and how the colonial and apartheid past impacts on the present allows us to better comprehend the challenges currently facing South African society.