Hardship and Hope: The Surprising Truth About South Africa

When we think about how a country is doing, we often look at money and jobs. But a new study of South Africa shows that life is far more complex than just economics. Researchers surveyed a nationally representative group of 2,651 South Africans, looking at 69 different aspects of life—from happiness and health to character, relationships, and spirituality.

In the face of material insecurity, many people find a deep well of resilience in their spiritual beliefs and character.

When they compared South Africa to 21 other countries in the Global Flourishing Study, they found something surprising. On most standard measures of health and wellbeing, South Africans looked a lot like the rest of the world. In some areas, they were actually doing better. For example, South Africans reported higher levels of peace, hope, and forgiveness, and lower levels of suffering and pain.

But in other areas, like life satisfaction and trust, they scored lower. The biggest differences showed up in money and faith. South Africans scored lower on several economic factors, like employment and financial security. Yet, they scored higher than almost all other countries on nearly every measure of religion and spirituality. The study also looked at who is doing best within South Africa.

Some groups tended to report more favorable outcomes across many areas of life, including people aged 80 and older, men, and those who attend religious services frequently. However, no single group had it perfect—every group had areas where they struggled. The researchers suggest that women, divorced individuals, and those with 9 to 15 years of education may be especially vulnerable and could benefit from more support. This research reminds us that even in the face of serious social and economic challenges, people can experience deep peace, strong faith, and genuine care for others. It also shows that to truly understand a nation, we have to look at the whole picture of human life—not just the economy.