South Africa’s state-owned entities are flagging: how innovation, research and development could revive them

South Africa has about 700 state-owned enterprises. They operate across sectors like transport, energy and public utilities, and some are among the largest employers in those sectors. Entities like these are created and controlled by a country’s government to provide essential services and drive economic development. In South Africa, they were formed in the 20th century, when the government recognised the need to support local industries by providing services such as rail transport, financing and electricity.