Thalia Holmes

Thalia is a freelance business reporter for the Mail & Guardian. She grew up in Swaziland and lived in the US before returning to South Africa.

She got a cum laude degree in marketing and followed it with another in English literature and psychology before further confusing things by becoming a black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) consultant.

After spending five years hearing the surprised exclamation, "But you're white!", she decided to pursue her latent passion for journalism, and joined the M&G in 2012.

The next year, she won the Brandhouse Journalist of the Year Award, the Brandhouse Best Online Award and was chosen as one of five finalists from Africa for the German Media Development Award. In 2014, she and a colleague won the Standard Bank Sivukile Multimedia Award.

She now writes and edits for various publications, but her heart still belongs to the M&G.

Behaviour Change in the age of Covid-19

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 3 Sep 2020

'If we build better systems and ask the right questions and frame things in the right way, it may help us reduce incidences of corruption'

Fraud and corruption in the Covid-19 era

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 26 Aug 2020

'We need to make it fundamentally uncool to even be accused of a crime – right now in South Africa being accused of a crime doesn’t end your career'

Saving the class of 2020

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 17 Aug 2020

The 10-week Educate programme was created to help matric students who have been disrupted by the pandemic get back on track for their final exams

The rise and rise of Rise Uniforms

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 30 Jun 2020

'If you can’t take a risk then you’re not an entrepreneur, and you might as well get out of the space' says Ntombekhaya Nonnxuba

How to get R7 000 government funding for your spaza shop or traditional grocery store

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 29 Jun 2020

The Spaza Shop Support scheme allows for your business to access a R3 500 working capital injection and an additional R3 500 in revolving credit

Two small business manage to stay afloat

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 25 Jun 2020

When lockdown closes the doors of your business you have to learn to think on your feet to keep the wolf from the door

Rethinking partnerships: a key way to keep your business going through the pandemic

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 24 Jun 2020

Stay in conversation with your suppliers, be agile and try to honour your debts wherever possible to keep your small business viable

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Debt Relief Fund a mere drop in the ocean

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 10 Jun 2020

Most South African SMMEs have received no assistance from the Debt Relief Fund, 90% are in crisis, and many will be forced to close

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Cutting salaries? Five ways to make the process less painful

Special Reports Thalia Holmes - 10 Jun 2020

Debt will only put a future strain on cash flow and could result in tremendous financial stress on the owners of the business if they're not able to recover

How to compare investment fees

Article Thalia Holmes - 5 Apr 2019

It’s a matter of deciphering the acronyms, but the crouton in the financial alphabet soup is the EAC

Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my levy

Article Thalia Holmes - 23 Nov 2018

Treasury is coining it as South Africans continue to shell out for their favourite sugary drinks

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72 hours to care: The precarious road to psychiatric help

Article Thalia Holmes - 15 Nov 2018

For many people with severe mental illnesses, these special wards can be a lifeline and the first step to care — if they can get there.

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Press Releases

Special Reports

SA’s SEZs create decent jobs

special reports - 25 Sep 2020

The Specia Economic Zone programme is used as a critical tool for accelerating the country’s industrial development agenda

Special Reports

The new normal in tourism is business unusual

special reports - 25 Sep 2020

Innovation and changing trends have kept some tour operators in the green, though most have struggled during the tight lockdown

Special Reports

TENDER NO. BOBS 05/2020 PROVISION OF CERTIFICATION SERVICES TO BOTSWANA BUREAU OF STANDARDS QUALITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES

special reports - 25 Sep 2020

The Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) invites tenders from reputable companies for the provision of certification services

Special Reports

The Galaxy Z Fold2 smartphone breaks all the rules

special reports - 25 Sep 2020

The Galaxy Z Fold2 has meaningful innovations that offer users enhanced refinements and some unique foldable user experiences

Special Reports

Adventures, ghost tours and big skies await visitors to the Cape Winelands

special reports - 23 Sep 2020

All of the CWDM destinations are accessible within a 30- to 120-minute drive from Cape Town, creating real value for money

Special Reports

SingularityU Online Summit to contribute to SME growth in 2020

special reports - 23 Sep 2020

The global speakers lined up for this year's event will address the challenges and opportunities specifically facing small businesses

Special Reports

Policy priorities lie with urgent economic reforms

special reports - 23 Sep 2020

Professor Raymond Parsons believes that business and consumer sentiment in South Africa would both benefit from even lower borrowing costs

Special Reports

Javett Art Centre at the University of Pretoria to reopen on Heritage Day

special reports - 22 Sep 2020

The new, drive-through sculpture exhibition brings to four the number of exhibitions of iconic African and South African art