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South Africa: South African
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South Africa's transportation infrastructure is well-developed, supporting both domestic and regional needs. The Johannesburg International Airport serves as a hub for flights to other southern African countries. The domestic telecommunications infrastructure provides modern and efficient service to urban areas, including cellular and Internet services. In 1997, Telkom, the South African telecommunications parastatal, was partly privatized and entered into a strategic equity partnership with a consortium of two companies, including SBC, a U.S. telecommunications company. In exchange for exclusivity to provide certain services for 5 years, Telkom assumed an obligation to facilitate network modernization and expansion into unserved areas. The government is evaluating a proposal to establish a second network operator to compete with Telkom across its spectrum of services.
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In 1991, with the apartheid system beginning to be demolished, a new multiracial South African Football Association was formed. On July 7, 1992, the South African national team played their first game in two decades, beating Cameroon 1-0. South Africa made the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, but failed to get out of the first round each time. They hosted (and won) the 1996 African Nations Cup and will host the 2010 World Cup, the first African nation to do so.
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After the Anglo Boer South African War (1899-1902) and the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the British Union Jack became the national flag of the united South Africa. The Red and Blue ensigns with the Union coat of arms in the fly, were granted by British Admiralty warrants in 1910 (amended in 1912) for use at sea as was the case all over the British Empire. They were not intended as national flags for the Union although some people used them as such (especially the Red Ensign). It was only in 1925, after the first post-Union Afrikaner government took office, that a Bill was introduced in parliament to make provision for a national flag for the Union of South Africa. This action immediately led to some three years of civil strife and near civil war. The British thought that the Boere wanted to do away with their cherished Imperial symbols. The province of Natal even threatened to secede from the Union.
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In 1993, South Africa signed an investment incentive agreement with the United States to facilitate Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) programs. To date, OPIC has invested in a number of investment funds supporting sub-Saharan Africa development, including the Africa Growth Fund ($25 million), the Modern Africa Growth and Investment Fund ($105 million), and the ZM Investment Fund ($120 million). OPIC ... established the $350 million Sub-Saharan Africa Infrastructure Fund (SAIF) to fund infrastructure projects in sub-Saharan Africa. OPIC helped the National Urban Reconstruction and Housing Agency (NURCHA) to establish a $31 million scheme to lend to small contractors for the construction of affordable houses. In 2004, OPIC entered into an agreement with the Homeloan Guarantee Company (HLGC) to fund low-income home loans for HIV-positive South Africans. The pilot program for this project was initiated in 2005.
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Visitors to South Africa for tourism, short business meetings, or those in transit do not require visas for stays of up to 90 days. In the event that a traveler overstays that period without a permit issued by the South African Department of Home Affairs, they may be subject to a fine of up to 3,000 rand (approximately 415 US dollars). All others, including academics, students on educational trips, and volunteers, may need visas. Americans who intend to work in South Africa must apply for work permits before arrival; otherwise they risk being refused admission and returned to their point of origin. It is strongly suggested that all travelers check the latest requirements with the nearest South African Embassy or Consulate before traveling.
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Today South Africa enjoys a relatively stable mixed economy that draws on its fertile agricultural lands, abundant mineral resources, tourist attractions, and highly evolved intellectual capital. Greater political equality and economic stability... do not necessarily mean social tranquility. South African society at the start of the 21st century continued to face steep challenges: rising crime rates, ethnic tensions, great disparities in housing and educational opportunities, and the AIDS pandemic.
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