Looking back at the best things that took place this year 2022

This year has been a tough one for many South Africans, but as we know, life has its good and bad moments. Many rejoiced and some grieved. Some cried tears of joy and some tears of sadness and for others, it has been mixed feelings, more like chakalaka, South Africa’s favourite dish.

As we were braced with COVID-19 at the beginning of the year 2020, the country was on lockdown until the beginning of 2022, and restrictions were imposed resulting in separation, loneliness, heartbreaks, and so on.

Despite this, the country has experienced a lot of positive changes in 2022, from the beginning to the present. The list of noteworthy events from this year is provided here to lift your spirits as we are about to say goodbye to this year. These are some things we may take with us into the new year.

The high-end Era of Covid-19

According to the Bureau for Economic Research, South Africa appears to have passed the peak of the fifth wave of Covid-19 infections, with data showing that infections were far more muted than previous waves. With high natural immunity and slowly rising vaccination rates, hospital admissions and deaths have been reduced, according to the group’s research notes.

UNICEF to the Rescue

UNICEF’s financial and technical assistance and response to flooding in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) continues to help children and families in the most affected areas in and around Durban. This includes psychosocial support, and monetary assistance, as well as working with community radio to provide lifesaving information and to start interaction and feedback about the situation and needs. This is coordinated as part of the United Nation (UN) emergency response, with government and partners assessing and providing the specific assistance required.

Commodities Production

South Africa is a substantial natural resource producer. The country has reserves of platinum, chromium, copper, uranium, silver, titanium in addition to gold and diamonds. Many countries rely on South Africa for minerals such as platinum, chromium, and coal because it is one of the largest natural resource producers. One of the primary reasons for coal production is electricity generation.

Higher prices for natural resources have boosted South Africa’s economy by aiding post-pandemic recovery and providing enough breathing room to deal with financial adjustment. There has been strong tax collection, which has been driven by higher mining earnings in favour of the current natural resources cycle. It has also been confirmed that natural resource prices will remain high for the rest of the year, which will help to balance out payments in the long run.

Increase pass rate in Matric Result

The Free State is once again the province with the highest matric results. It received an 85.7 % pass rate, a 0.6% increase over 2020. For the third time, the province took first place. Gauteng had an 82.8% pass rate, a 1.0 % decrease from 2020.

The Western Cape received an 81.2 percent, which is a 1.3% increase from 2020. Schools across the country continue to face a number of challenges, particularly in low-income and rural areas. The minister of basic education, Mrs. Angie Motshekga, on the other hand, claims that the government’s interventions are helping to improve the situation.

Infrastructure Development

The World Bank is providing targeted technical assistance to South Africa to support the integration and implementation of approaches and instruments to city management. The objective of this project is to develop a national urban policy framework that will guide local government transformation in South Africa. The policy framework will be developed in collaboration with key stakeholders at all levels of government, including municipalities and metropolitan planning organizations.

This program has assisted in improving economic incentives, accelerating business start-up, reforming infrastructure finance and financial management, and boosting social city development, with a focus on informal settlements.

A Boost to the Tourism Industry

South Africa is well-known for its incredible tourist attractions and infrastructural facilities, in addition to the wide range of accommodations available to visitors. Tourism’s impact on businesses and the industry in previous years has been negative. However, hospitality and travel, as well as popular tourism-related businesses, have benefited from increased growth, with some areas rapidly approaching pre-Covid levels. According to the national sales director, the country is expected to see a positive growth trend as local tourism grows as consumers across the country are likely to spend more money.

Getting Closer to 2023

We don’t know what we will be anticipating as we prepare to leave the past and leap into the future. Nevertheless, we do believe that one can always make the best of any given circumstance. A positive attitude and a big smile go a long way.

As we approach the end of this year, let’s remember that a positive mindset can result in outstanding accomplishments. Yes, the year itself has not been easy, but as we have seen this year, amazing things can be accomplished if one really sets their mind to it. There have been many accomplishments that are not included in this list, but let’s hold onto hope and be ready for the upcoming year.