THE life expectancy of the average South African is expected to drop from 60 to 40 years by 2008 as a result of Aids mortality, the Department of Welfare and Population Development said on Friday. It said that a total of 3,6 million South Africans were already infected with HIV, and it is estimated that the virus will have infected 20% of the workforce by next year. “Over the next three years, the annual death toll could be 250000, leaving behind almost 600000 orphans,” the department said. The loss of productive workers could reduce the country’s economic growth rate by about 2%.