10/02/2026
South Africa is poorer per person than it was nearly 20 years ago.
New figures show the country’s per capita GDP - the average economic output per person - has fallen to below 2007 levels. Economists say a major reason is the long-term damage caused by South Africa’s failing energy system.
After joining BRICS in 2010, South Africa was expected to grow alongside other emerging economies, but it has underperformed them all. Experts say unreliable electricity and problems in the labour market have acted as major brakes on growth for years.
Load shedding didn’t just cause inconvenience - economists say it cut into economic growth for over a decade, costing the country billions of rand and huge numbers of potential jobs. Even though load shedding has eased, the structural damage to the economy remains.
The message from economists is clear: without a stable, modern energy system, South Africa’s growth and living standards will continue to struggle.