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Funding and governance of library and information services for visually impaired people: international case studies

Part2:Country studies

South Africa

Basic country data

Population 47.432m (2005).

Over 65s as % of total population: 2005 5.3%; 2020 ----% (projected).

GNI per capita (international dollars converted at purchasing power parities) 2005: $12,120

Government: Federal; central government and 9 provinces

Estimated number of visually impaired people: 533,404 (2001 census, but see below)

Estimated number of print-impaired people: no agreed number; there is extensive illiteracy

Note on information sources

The SA Library for the Blind, referred to here as Blindlib, answered Section A of the questionnaire, giving us as far as they could a national overview. While a number of other organisations were contacted, the majority preferred to allow Blindlib to represent a South African view. We did also receive a reply from Stellenbosch University.

Information given by Blindlib was supplemented by desk research, particularly in relation to public libraries and broader policy initiatives.