Still, the major social and cultural issues to be addressed will take much time and money. This action, not surprisingly, caused a major stir, as it should have. Mbeki's health minister sought to calm the storm by backtracking, but the president continues to maintain that poverty is the biggest killer in his country. It's certainly true that South Africa has other worries. Unemployment, which has been high for a long time here, is now above 30 percent.
Crime is rampant.
In fact, it is so great a threat in Johannesburg that even the stock market is moving its offices to the upscale suburb of Sandton. South Africa's minister of safety and security recently ordered a moratorium on the release of crime statistics. The one business that seems to be thriving most is the security industry. Armored cars, secure parking areas, and hired guards were everywhere. The government has its problems, too.