As coalition discussions intensify, the party could end up making significant policy concessions to navigate South Africa’s uncertain future
		
	 
	
		
		The Big Three ratings agencies, Moody’s, S&P Global and Fitch, have extensive influence over how creditors assess Africa’s risk profile
		
	 
	
		
		With the country’s economy on the brink, the ‘Big Three’s’ employment and growth promises hold more weight than ever
		
	 
	
		
		Among state-owned entities, the beleaguered power utility is far and away the biggest risk to the public purse
		
	 
	
		
		Renewable energy could close the gap between demand and supply, ending load-shedding. But out-of-pocket Eskom must find money to upgrade its transmission infrastructure first
		
	 
	
		
		Decline in the country’s GDP – largely due to record-levels of load-shedding – puts the size of the economy back below pre-pandemic levels
		
	 
	
		
		The debt relief amounts to almost as much as the power utility has received in bailouts since 2008
		
	 
	
		
		The utility’s R400 billion debt has fed into the country’s 15-year energy crisis and low growth potential, which has been identified as a key credit weakness
		
	 
	
		
		The government has shown that it is willing to explore introducing a basic income grant, which would mark a big step towards achieving growth
		
	 
	
		
		There’s not just one person to blame for decades of mismanagement of an electricity crisis that was made known some 25 years ago
		
	 
	
		
		Economist don’t expect an upgrade anytime soon, but the country is in a better position to claw back its investment grade rating
		
	 
	
		
		Some of the conditions in which the July unrest occurred have abated but others, such as the spiralling cost of living, have worsened
		
	 
	
		
		The treasury is meeting rating agencies that identified the public service compensation as a threat to South Africa’s credit outlook
		
	 
	
		
		As the ANC’s Youth League leader, Julius Malema spooked investors a decade ago by popularising calls to nationalise the mines
		
	 
	
		
		The country’s local governments are a drag on investment, a strain on the fiscus and pose a critical sovereign risk
		
	 
	
		
		The new finance minister has a difficult task, but analysts say his political capital will help him hold a hard line on state spending
		
	 
	
		
		Experts offer their advice about what Finance Minister Tito Mboweni should focus on in next week’s budget speech
		
	 
	
		
		The SOE has asked the government for R3.5-billion in extra support over the next three years to offset losses incurred because of the pandemic