South Africa’s energy and transport reforms could create 500 000 jobs – World Bank

South Africa could increase its GDP growth by 1% in the short term and up to 3% in the medium term by addressing persistent energy and freight logistics constraints, the World Bank’s latest ‘South Africa Economic Update’ states. Such projected increases in economic activity, the report adds, could create about 200 000 jobs in the short term and 500 000 jobs in the medium term. The bank estimates that constraints in both sectors have cost the economy three to five percentage points of GDP growth, and have disproportionately affected small businesses and low-income households.