Getting into GEAR
To tackle the inequalities in South Africa, the government embarked on an ambitious plan called the 'Reconstruction and Development Programme' in 1994. The programme has achieved some success in improving health care, supplying clean water and electricity to homes, but the challenge of satisfying housing and job needs has proved difficult. In 1996, the government launched a new programme to boost the economy called the 'Growth, Employment and Redistribution' (GEAR) programme. By keeping taxes and wages low, and by removing other restrictions on businesses, GEAR creates incentives for overseas companies to set up and invest in South Africa and for local people to start their own businesses. However, workers have gone on strike in protest at the low wages, and the modernisation of industries using machines rather than people has meant that few new jobs have been created since GEAR was set up.

� Paul Weinberg/Panos Pictures.

Building new houses has helped the lives of some poorer residents of the townships, but the programme of improvement has struggled to keep up with demand. Between 1994-1999, 491,000 new homes were built, but 2.5 million more are still needed.