We, the Blessed Ones - People born between 1940 and 1980

We are the Blessed Ones

People born between 1940 and 1980

We are not special, but...HOW DID WE SURVIVE...??

Stes de Necker

While playing and riding bicycle, we never bothered to wear helmets.

We used to create our own toys and play with them.

After school time we played until its dusk but never watched the world (TV) by locking ourselves up in a room.

We played “King of the Hill” on piles of sand left on vacant building sites and when we got hurt, mum pulled out the 2/6p bottle of iodine and then we got our backside spanked.

Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10 day dose of antibiotics and then mum calls the lawyer to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of sand where it was such a threat.

And when we did fell ill, we never had to be carted to the doctor’s surgery in a blanket; the doctor was still prepared to come to our parent’s house when called.

We played only with our real friends, not with ‘NET’ friends.

We never used to share our emotions just by emoticons in mobile phones.

We used to listen to the truth and voice of our conscience and used to write those things only in the letters and we never used to change our words.

If we ever felt thirsty, we used to drink tap water but never searched for bottled water.

We never got ill even after sharing the same juice with four friends.

My mum used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread butter on bread on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning.

Our school sandwiches were wrapped in wax paper in a brown paper bag, not in ice pack coolers, and none of us ever got .Coli.

We were never put on weight even after eating plate full of sweets and rice every day.

Nothing happened to our feet even after roaming bare foot. We risked permanent injury walking bare foot instead of having to wear cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built in light reflectors that cost as much as a small car. I can't recall any injuries but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.

Oh yeah ... And where was the antibiotics and sterilisation kit when I got that bee sting? I could have been killed!

We never used any health supplements to keep ourselves healthy.

We never had cell phones, DVDs, Play stations, XBoxes, video games, Personal computers, internet, but we had many real friends.

We used to visit our friend's home uncalled and enjoyed food with them. We never had to call them and ask their permission to visit their home.

Relatives were near to us so our hearts and souls were happy. We never even thought about insurance policies.

Our parents were not rich; they never ran behind money and wealth. They just searched for and gave only love.. not any worldly materials.

We stayed nearby to them so that they can communicate with us. Just one word by them was enough to communicate. We never required any mobile phones to communicate with them.

 To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family. How could we possibly have known that?

We may have been in Black and White photos but we could find good and colourful memories in those photos.

Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake or at the beach instead of a pristine swimming pool.   

We got the cane for doing something wrong at school, they used to call it discipline yet we all grew up to accept the rules and to honour & respect those older than us.

We had 30+ kids in our class and we all learned to read and write, do maths and spell almost all the words needed to write a grammatically correct letter.

We all said prayers in school and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention.

We also learnt our time-tables by reciting them every day.

We are a unique and the most understanding generation, because we are the last generation who listened to their parents and the first which have to listen to their children.

We are not special, but...

HOW DID WE SURVIVE...??

MUDDY WATER

MUDDY WATER

Stes de Necker

One day a wise teacher was travelling with a few of his students and while they were passing a lake, the wise teacher told one of the students, "I am thirsty. Go get me some water from the lake please."

The student walked up to the lake but at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake and as a result, the water became very muddy and turbid.

The student thought, "How can I give this muddy water to my teacher to drink?" so he came back and told his teacher, "The water in there is very muddy. I don't think it is fit to drink."

After about half an hour, the teacher again asked the same student to go back
to the lake but the water was still muddy so the student returned and informed the teacher about that. 

After sometime, again the teacher asked the same student to go back again and this time, the student found the mud had settled down, and the water was clean and clear.

So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to his teacher.  

The teacher looked at the water, and then he looked up at the student and said, "See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be, and the mud settled down on its own, and you have clear water."

Your mind is like that too. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own.

You don't have to put in any effort to calm it down.

It will happen on its own....

effortlessly.

.

ARIES - People born under the Aries Sign

ARIES

People born under the Aries Sign

Stes de Necker

Aries are fire signs and those born under this element are regarded in astrology as adventurous, active and outgoing.
It won't matter where you go or how remote or unusual it is - from the Outback to the Antarctic - you can be sure that an Aries has been there before you (or at the very least you will meet one along the way!)
Aries is a uniquely naive sign. Although they are independent, outgoing and assertive they are also surprisingly trusting, often innocently walking into the lion's den at times.
No matter what upheaval, challenge or triumph they confront - an Aries has a wonderful ability to bounce back.
Their faith in life and the future remains untouched by hardship.
Their gift is that they are always children at heart and the world is always a magical place for them.
Many famous sports people are born under this sign.
Aries is regarded as the most physical sign and because of its Mar's ruler ship; it is also one of the most highly charged masculine energy signs in astrology.
No wonder women born under Aries are forceful, dynamic and aggressive, and as a result these Aries women frequently find themselves with dilemmas surrounding their romantic relationships.
For them, a man has to be a 'real man' to deal with an Aries woman, otherwise she intimidates him.
And conversely for the Aries male, a woman has to be a real woman to deal with him, because he is looking for many balancing component traits (his true feminine side) in his partner. She has to run the gamut in his support system, from the Aries man's best friend, true companion, through to his muse, and yet she must never ever answer him back!
Therefore Aries can be a confusing sign because there is a complex combination of very strong masculine and feminine expressions all combined together. Because of the male energy surrounding it, when a woman is born under Aries, it creates some of the most interesting women in the world, women who are adventurous, independent and have competitive natures. It also tends to make them very forthright.
But whether male or female, Aries people are 'doers' rather than 'talkers'. They are the impulsive, act first, ask questions or have doubts later, sign of the zodiac.
That's why their lives are often filled with many dramas and sometimes even accidents!
Their ability to live life close to the edge provides them with a wealth of 'real experience' to call upon.
When an Aries person talks about something or somewhere they've usually done it or been there, rather than simply read about it in a book. Being active people Aries can't adapt to any kind of restriction, particularly possessive relationships.
They often travel to escape any feelings of being stuck or possessed. Aries people love challenges. In fact, if everything is running smoothly, they are quite capable of going out and doing something (sometimes quite foolish) to rock the boat. 

Aries love to race in where angels fear to tread!

HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED AT YOUR HANDS

HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED AT YOUR HANDS

Stes de Necker

Shortly before my dear late mother passed away, I visited her in the care centre where she was lying in her bed, looking at her hand holding a handkerchief. She always held a handkerchief in her left hand, with the one end folded over her index finger.

Not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I said, 'I didn't mean to disturb you mom, but you were just lying there looking your hand and I just want to make sure you were ok'

She looked at me and smiled. 'Yes, I'm fine dear, thank you for asking,'

And that was when she related this to me:

'Have you ever looked at your hands,' she asked. 'I mean really looked at your hands?'

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. 

No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was trying to make.

‘Think for a moment about your hands, how they have served you well throughout your years.

‘These hands of mine, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

'They braced my fall when as a toddler, preventing me from crashing to the floor.

‘They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.  They held your farther and wiped my tears when he was not around. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special  

‘They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried your grandparents and uncles and aunts.  

'They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent'. 'They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. 

They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold you as a baby.

'They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when anyone of you were harmed or got mistreated.  

‘They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.

And to this day, when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

'These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life.

‘But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out to and take when he leads me home. 

And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of God.'

I never looked at my hands the same way again after that.

  

But I remember God reaching out and took my mother’s hands and led her home the next day.

So when my hands are hurt and sore or when I stroke the faces of my children, I think of my mother and how she has been caressed and held by the hands of God…. 

MY RIGHT TO CHOOSE - Protecting my Basic Human Right of Freedom of Choice

MY RIGHT TO CHOOSE

Protecting my Basic Human Right of Freedom of Choice

Stes de Necker

The freedom of choice

Imagine going out for dinner and ordering a steak only to have the waiter tell you that you may not have it, that you must have fish instead. How would you feel?

The choice between a steak and fish may be a fairly benign one, but it demonstrates a very important characteristic of human nature: we don't like to be forced into decisions we're capable of making for ourselves.

We resist compulsion. Even when we face more serious decisions, ones with moral implications, it is important that we can choose for ourselves.

Disregard and contempt for this very important basic human right, have resulted in hordes of, not only unjust and unlawful acts, but also in a myriad of human rights abuses, suffering, marginalization, segregation and human tragedy.  

It is important to note however, that we must be very careful not to trample on another person’s rights, while we are in pursuit of our own. Everyone has the right to their own opinion and beliefs.

While we are "accountable" for our choices, there will always be consequences for those choices, both good and bad.

So while we are pursuing the protection of, what we believe are our inalienable right to choose and to do something in this regard, we must also respect the right of others not to do anything!

Doing nothing is a choice in itself, albeit not a very good one.

Neither is letting other people, society or political institutions make decisions for us. 

For example, just because many films portray intimacy before marriage as perfectly acceptable, doesn't mean it is generally acceptable.

Our character will be developed and refined when we make choices based on what’s morally right despite the prevailing wisdom there really is much right and wrong in the world.

Truth isn't relative and sin isn't just some unenlightened person’s "value judgment.

Every year, hundreds of young men and women fall in love in India. 

They defy their parents, caste and religious considerations and traditions. 

Many of them elope and get married; some others also give in to family pressures and fall back into traditionally more acceptable roles.The Bollywood film industry thrives on such stories. 

The World Health Organisation estimates that 21.6 million women worldwide undergo unsafe abortion procedures every year.

Unsafe abortion is defined as a procedure carried out by unskilled practitioners or conducted in an environment that lacks the minimal medical standards, or both. 

These procedures cause an average of 47,000 deaths each year - at least 13% of all maternal deaths - and result in serious complications or disability for millions more women, particularly in the developing world.

Mormons are encouraged to stand up for what they believe, regardless of prevailing opinion.

It may not be easy, popular, or fun. Sometimes taking a stand means subjecting yourself to ridicule, slander or even physical abuse.

In this kind of situation, every person should be able to rely on the institution and protection of his/her right to freedom of choice.

  

Unfortunately this is not the case in the world we live in at the moment!

The inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all people of the human family, is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

This basic Human Right should be protected much more vigorously as an inalienable legal right in national and international law.

The freedom of choice is an inalienable fundamental right to which every  person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being, regardless of their nation, location, language, religion, ethnic origin or any other status.

Claims for Fundamental Freedom of Choice in Value Participation

The overriding importance of freedom of choice in the shaping and sharing of all values is fortunately beginning to be articulated and established as authoritative general community expectation in a wide range of formal expressions at both the transnational and national levels.

The most important development in this regard is the Charter of International Basic Human Rights of the United Nations.

The Charter reaffirms "faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women,"and pledges to "promote social progress and better standards of life and larger freedom" and to "employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples."

Comparable regional expression is also found in the preamble of the American Convention on Human Rights which states that , "the essential rights of man are not derived from one's being a national of a certain State, but are based upon attributes of the human personality."

The European Convention on Human Rights expresses the profound belief in those Fundamental Freedoms which are the foundation of justice and peace in the world and are best maintained, on the one hand by an effective political democracy, and on the other by a common understanding and observance of the Human Rights upon which they depend.

In a more recent summation, the Proclamation of Teheran, adopted at the International Conference on Human Rights in 1968, solemnly reaffirmed that “The primary aim of the United Nations in the sphere of human rights, is the achievement by each individual of the maximum freedom and dignity”

Every country should grant each individual, irrespective of race, language, religion or political belief, freedom of choice and expression, of information, of conscience and of religion, as well as the right to participate in the political, economic, cultural and social life of his country.

The basic thrust in global community expectations toward protecting individual freedom of choice in all value processes is greatly fortified by the long history of developments within the constitutive processes of the different national communities. 

The continued insistence by so many peoples in different communities and cultures that authority can rightfully come only from the people is a direct expression of demand for freedom of choice in the power processes that affect all other processes.

It is this demand for freedom of choice, secure from arbitrary coercion, which underlies the whole historic panorama of constitutional reforms beginning with Greek and Roman liberalism and extending through the English, American, French, and Russian revolutions to the present era of the emancipation of former colonial peoples. 

Current World Population and Habitation Density

Current World Population and Habitation Density


How Much Space Is There Left For Us To Live On

Stes de Necker

The world population (the total number of living humans on Earth) was 7.244 billion as of July 2014 according to the medium fertility estimate by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division and it is projected to reach 7.325 billion in July 2015. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, world population reached 7 billion on March 12, 2012.

The UN data is based on estimates and can never be 100% accurate, so in all honesty nobody can possibly say with any degree of certainty on which day world population reaches 7 billion (or any other exact number), let alone at what time. The United Nations Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs every two years calculates, updates, and publishes estimates of total population in its World Population Prospects series. These population estimates and projections provide the standard and consistent set of population figures that are used throughout the United Nations system.

For most countries adjustment of the data is necessary to correct errors, omissions, and inconsistencies in the data. Since the most recent data for a single country is often at least two years old, the current world population figure is necessarily a projection of past data based on assumed trends.

At the dawn of agriculture, about 8000 B.C., the population of the world was approximately 5 million. Over the 8,000-year period up to 1 A.D. it grew to 200 million (some estimate 300 million or even 600, suggesting how imprecise population estimates of early historical periods can be), with a growth rate of under 0.05% per year.

A tremendous change occurred with the industrial revolution: whereas it had taken all of human history until around 1800 for world population to reach one billion, the second billion was achieved in only 130 years (1930), the third billion in less than 30 years (1959), the fourth billion in 15 years (1974), and the fifth billion in only 13 years (1987).

During the 20th century alone, the population in the world has grown from 1.65 billion to 6 billion. In 1970, there were roughly half as many people in the world as there are now.

World population milestones

8 Billion (2024)

According to the most recent United Nations estimates, the human population of the world is expected to reach 8 billion people in the spring of 2024.

7 Billion (2011)

According to the United Nations, world population reached 7 Billion on October 31, 2011.
The US Census Bureau made a lower estimate, for which the 7 billion mark was only reached on March 12, 2012.

6 Billion (1999)

According to the United Nations, the 6 billion figure was reached on October 12, 1999 (celebrated as the Day of 6 Billion). According to the U.S. Census Bureau instead, the six billion milestone was reached on July 22, 1999, at about 3:49 AM GMT. Yet, according to the U.S. Census web site, the date and time of when 6 billion was reached will probably change because the already uncertain estimates are constantly being updated.

5 Billion: 1987

4 Billion: 1974

3 Billion: 1960

2 Billion: 1927

1 Billion: 1804

Growth Rate

The population of the world is currently growing at a rate of around 1.14% per year. The average population change is currently estimated at around 80 million per year.

Annual growth rate reached its peak in the late 1960's, when it was at 2% and above. The rate of increase has therefore almost halved since its peak of 2.19 percent, which was reached in 1963.

The annual growth rate is currently declining and is projected to continue to decline in the coming years. Currently, it is estimated that it will become less than 1% by 2020 and less than 0.5% by 2050.

This means that world population will continue to grow in the 21st century, but at a slower rate compared to the recent past. World population has doubled (100% increase) in 40 years from 1959 (3 billion) to 1999 (6 billion). It is now estimated that it will take a further 43 years to increase by another 50%, to become 9 billion by 2042.

The latest United Nations projections indicate that world population will nearly stabilize at just above 10 billion persons after 2062.

By 2030 India's population is expected to surpass China's, to become the largest country in the world.

Nigeria's population is expected to surpass the U.S. population in 2045 to become the third-most populous country in the world, starting to rival China by the end of the century, with almost 1 billion people in 2100.

World Population Density (people/km² - 100 hectares)

Population density map of the world showing not only countries but also many subdivisions (regions, states, provinces). 

It appears from most scientific sources that the total Land surface of our planet earth, is approximately 149,000,000 km².

The land surface can be divided into four different types:

1.   20% covered by snow,  

2.  20% mountains,

3.  20% dry land,

3.  30% good land that can be farmed,

4.  10% land doesn't have topsoil.

This means that only about 50% of the world’s land surface is suitable for human habitation, ie. approximately 75,000,000 km².

With a current total world population of 7.3 billion people, it means that for every person on earth there is approximately 10,000 m² (1 hectare) land available. 

Bibliographic Entry	Result (w/surrounding text)	Standardized Result
Coble, Charles R; Murray, Elaine G; Rice, Dole R. Earth Science. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1987: 102.	"Surface Area: Land area, about 148,300,000 sq km, or about 30% of total surface area; water area, about 361,800,000 sq km, or about 70% of total surface area."	148,300,000 km2
Science Desk Reference American Scientific. New York: Wiley, 1999: 180.	"Surface: Land surface 150,000,000 sq km, 57,500,000 sq mi."	150,000,000 km2 Ads by Enterprise 1.1Ad Options
Weast, Robert C. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 61st edtion. Chemical Rubber Co., 1981: F-202.	"Data in regard to the earth: Land area, 148.847x106 km2, 57.470x106 sq mi. Ocean area, 361.254x106 km2, 139.480x106 sq mi."	148,847,000 km2
Weast, Robert C. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 48th edtion. Chemical Rubber Co., 1968: F-135.	"Data in regard to the earth (continued): Land area, 148.847x106 km2, 57.470x106 sq mi. Ocean area, 361.254x106 km2, 139.480x106 sq mi."	148,847,000 km2
earth fast facts. planetpals.	"surface area: 196,935,000 sq miles percent of earths [sic] ocean 70% * percent of earths [sic] land: 30"	153,295,000 km2

World Population by Religion

According to a recent study (based on the 2010 world population of 6.9 billion) by The Pew Forum, there are:

(1)  2,173,180,000 Christians (31% of world population), of which 50% are Catholic, 37% Protestant, 12% Orthodox, and 1% other.

(2)  1,598,510,000 Muslims (23%), of which 87-90% are Sunnis, 10-13% Shia.

(3)  1,126,500,000 No Religion affiliation (16%): atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with any particular religion. One-in-five people (20%) in the United States are religiously unaffiliated.

(4)  1,033,080,000 Hindus (15%), the overwhelming majority (94%) of which live in India.

487,540,000 Buddhists (7%), of which half live in China.

(5)  405,120,000 Folk Religionists (6%): faiths that are closely associated with a particular group of people, ethnicity or tribe.

(6)  58,110,000 Other Religions (1%): Baha’i faith, Taoism, Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Tenrikyo, Wicca, Zoroastrianism and many others.

(7)  13,850,000 Jews (0.2%), four-fifths of which live in two countries: United States (41%) and Israel (41%).

Population by Worlds 10 largest Countries

Rank	Country	Population (2014)	Share of World Pop	1 Year Change	Area (Km²)	Density (P/Km²)
1	China	1,393,783,836	19.24%	0.59%	9,596,947	145
2	India	1,267,401,849	17.50%	1.22%	3,287,265	386
3	U.S.A.	322,583,006	4.45%	0.79%	9,629,056	34
4	Indonesia	252,812,245	3.49%	1.18%	1,904,567	133
5	Brazil	202,033,670	2.79%	0.83%	8,514,209	24
6	Pakistan	185,132,926	2.56%	1.64%	796,096	233
7	Nigeria	178,516,904	2.46%	2.82%	923,766	193
8	Bangladesh	158,512,570	2.19%	1.22%	143,998	1,101
9	Russia	142,467,651	1.97%	-0.26%	17,076,310	8
10	Japan	126,999,808	1.75%	-0.11%	377,873	336

How many people have ever lived on earth?

It was written during the 1970's that 75% of the people who had ever been born were alive at that moment. This was grossly false.

Assuming that we start counting from about 50,000 B.C., the time when modern Homo sapiens appeared on the earth (and not from 700,000 B.C. when the ancestors of Homo sapiens appeared, or several million years ago when hominids were present), taking into account that all population data are a rough estimate, and assuming a constant growth rate applied to each period up to modern times, it has been estimated that a total of approximately 106 billion people have been born since the dawn of the human species, making the population currently alive roughly 6% of all people who have ever lived on planet Earth.

Others have estimated the number of human beings who have ever lived to be anywhere from 45 billion to 125 billion, with most estimates falling into the range of 90 to 110 billion humans.

Cost of living: South Africa vs. the World

Cost of living: South Africa vs. the World

Stes de Necker

While South Africans often complain about the rising cost of living in the country, it remains one of the most affordable countries in the world.

This is according to new data from Deutshe Bank, looking at world prices for a number of goods and serves in terms of purchasing power.

The 2015 report follows indices like the Big Mac Index closely, but covers a far wider selection of goods than simply the famous McDonalds burger.

The Big Mac Index – which is also included in DB’s research – is based on the theory of purchasing-power parity (PPP).

This is the notion that, in the long run, exchange rates should move towards the rate that would equalize the prices of an identical basket of goods and services (in this case, a Big Mac burger) in any two countries.

The Bic Mac is selected for comparison as the popular fast-food meal is widely available across the world, and remains fairly consistent in pricing; however, it is by no means an exact science.

DB’s research covers more items, including the relative cost of living across 20 countries, car rentals and hotel rooms, as well as specific goods such as Coca Cola, beer, sports shoes, Levis jeans and Apple iPhones.

Prices in New York City are used as the standard measure, and all other prices are listed by city, where applicable, relative to NYC.

Global cost of living

Along with other emerging markets, South Africa has seen relatively large shifts in consumer prices – over 6% – between 2013 and 2014. This is an increase on par with economies like Brazil, India and Russia.

In relative terms of purchasing power parity, however, the cost of living in South Africa is just over 44% of that of the United States, showing relative affordability.

On the flip side, however, this trend of affordability in South Africa is notably shifting.

According to DB, in 2001, Johannesburg was the third most affordable city measured on the index. Fast-forward to 2014, and the South African city has disappeared from the top 10 completely.

Cost of living 2001 vs. 2014 Top and Bottom 10

“In previous years, Australia had consistently been the world’s most expensive country while the United States had been the cheapest developed country,” deutsche Bank said.

“This year, however, the strength of the USD has significantly narrowed the gap between the two. Similarly, shopping in Europe and Japan now feels a lot cheaper than before.”

Brazil was the most expensive emerging market in the world and was more expensive than the US for several categories.

However, currency depreciation has brought Brazilian prices more in line with what one would expect for a country at its level of development.

India remains the cheapest major economy in the world across a range of products.

Relative price levels by PPP

South African prices

In its report, Deutsche Bank measures countries across a basket of goods, looking at multiple cities where possible.

Two South African cities were featured: Cape Town and Johannesburg. Here is how South Africa’s averages compared to the New York standard, as well as how Cape Town and Johannesburg fared, head to head.

Item	Cape Town price	Johannesburg price	South Africa average
Petrol (1 litre)	143%	143%	143%
iPhone 6	126%	126%	126%
iPhone 5S	120%	120%	120%
VW Golf 2.0 TDI	99%	102%	101%
Levis	93%	106%	100%
Five Star Hotel rooms	109%	64%	87%
Sports shoes	86%	86%	86%
Coca Cola	56%	56%	56%
Taxi trip	48%	63%	56%
Economist subscription	51%	51%	51%
Men’s haircut	51%	45%	48%
Big Mac	46%	46%	46%
Car Rentals	42%	42%	42%
Movie ticket	31%	37%	34%
Gym membership	32%	35%	34%
Beer	27%	26%	27%
Public transport	20%	27%	24%
Marlboro cigarettes	22%	22%	22%

According to the data, South Africa’s highest relative charge is for petrol, where the country pays 143% the relative value of a litre of petrol in New York.

On the other end of the spectrum, vices such as smoking are more affordable in the country, where a pack of cigarettes is only 22% of the relative value in the States.

Looking at the cities, of the 18 items, Cape Town and Johannesburg differed in price in nine – six of which had higher prices in Johannesburg.

Education, dates and holidays

Using Harvard as its standard, DB also analysed business school tuition fees and salaries offered to graduates across the world.

In South Africa, tuition fees at Wits and UCT were only a fraction of those at Harvard – 14% – but with an average starting salary of US$43,556 for graduates, South Africa ranked lowest for pay.

In it’s “cheap date index”, Cape Town offers the 7th most affordable night out, with date costs amounting to only 40% of the same night in New York.

Johannesburg prices amount to 47% of NYC’s prices.

A cheap date consists of taxi rides, McDonalds burgers, soft drinks, two movie tickets and a couple of beers.

The weekend getaway index, which looks at a two night stay at a 5-star hotel, four meals, snacks and car rentals, among other things, also works out to be relatively cheap in South Africa.

Cape Town prices work out to be 89% of the New York values, with Johannesburg prices even cheaper at 61%.