In addition to B, heavy-handed labor regulations are another area attracting business complaint. Unions are given broad power to block layoffs and limit the outsourcing of contracts, making a lot of firms reluctant to hire in the first place. the HIV/AIDS epidemic has reached epic proportions, affecting 5.5 million individuals, one-ninth of the population. Since laid-off HIV-positive employees will be on government support, the government has more incentive to make it harder to fire employees. The upshot? Skyrocketing absenteeism and heath care costs. Crime is another problem. Security expenditures and crime-related losses cost South African firms approximately 1% of sales, higher than in Russia or Brazil.