Independent think-tank Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra) Director of Operations Dr Yacoob Abba Omar said on Thursday that race is still a factor in the country while unveiling the 2022 Macro-Social report, which shares macro-social trends in South Africa.

The report emanates from the first Micro Social Trends report that was published in 2006 by the Presidency and reflects on the country’s progress on indicators such crime, race, unemployment and migration.

The report is informed by the discussions that were held by the Presidency, Mistra and the University of Johannesburg in 2008 and forms part of a broader social compacting initiative led by the Presidency with several societal partners, in 2019.

Omar said the report highlights that Black people are still at the bottom line of the spectrum in the country.

The main aim following the release of the report is to facilitate nationwide dialogues from 2022 onwards on the state of democracy in South Africa, using the Macro-Social Report findings as a primary reference point.

The report also addresses the core questions posed in the 2006 version while considering the significant changes that have occurred on a macro level.

While it acknowledges and cites the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation’s ‘Towards a 25 Year Review’ publication, it equally draws from other evidence-based country reviews on the state of the nation published in the last 16 years.

These review reports cover a wide range of research themes that cut across varied dimensions of public policy in South Africa

The report also looks at the economic restructuring and political economy choices, the impact of major social programmes and governance.