Some consider the decision to tap the forex reserve as a sign that the state can be swayed by the left. But the ANC-led government knows exactly how to neutralise progressive forces
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Commentators are cautiously positive about the treasury’s decision to use the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account
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South Africa’s economy has stagnated and policymakers ought to be looking for solutions that move us forward
The Reserve Bank governor confirmed the central bank is in talks with the treasury over calls to tap the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account
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Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has emphasised the need to address supply-side constraints, such as the country’s energy and logistics crises
Today, as the country awaits the next update on the state of its public purse, the prospect of a debt crisis seems more imminent than before. This is as South Africa’s fiscal position has deteriorated markedly during the course of this year, a dilemma that could see the treasury inflicting another round of spending cuts.
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The choice to adopt austerity is not about protecting the state against capture — nor is it about realising untapped growth
As central bankers in the advanced world unite over the ‘higher for longer’ mantra, the Reserve Bank cautions against raising targets amid still-high inflation
Anxiety about governance failures stands to limit our options, just when we need an alternative direction the most
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The government is walking a tightrope as civil servants embark on industrial action over pay
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The social development department has been allocated R35.7 billion to fund the extended social relief of distress grant
Workers are in the throes of a cost of living crisis, which could force the government to fold on its hard line against more spending
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Nearly half of South African women are left out of the country’s labour force — and gender-friendly budgeting could fix that
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More women than men are unemployed, partly because they are engaged in unpaid labour: caregiving, cooking and cleaning
South Africa is facing a deepening unemployment crisis and experts warn that climate change threatens the country’s shrinking jobs.
The private sector, experts say, cannot alone be entrusted with the important task of stopping South Africa’s unemployment tailspin
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Experts’ strategies for fixing the unemployment crisis range from devaluing the rand to a universal income grant or accepting debt from loans
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Corporate South Africa is rolling out the big guns to spike momentum towards a universal basic income grant that threatens to expose their sick graveyard economy
The latest unemployment figures show deepening joblessness and continuous setbacks
All indicators, including the employment statistics released this week show how black women bear the brunt of unemployment. Here are their stories
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Analysts agree that economic relief for the poor is needed but are split on whether a grant should be permanent and whether it is affordable
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The Covid-19 social relief of distress grant was terminated at the end of April, but research shows it aided job recovery
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Covid-19 and budget cuts have combined to create a nightmare for those seeking help with cases of unfair dismissal or suspension, which have risen because of the pandemic’s economic effects.
The already turbulent labour market could see more strain if aspiring students lose out
The pandemic’s economic fallout will affect the world’s poor for years, while the richest billionaires increase their wealth, an Oxfam report notes
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to announce the government’s long-awaited economic stimulus plan to deal with the effects of Covid-19. The key will be getting loans for a stimulus without ‘selling’ the country.