In this instalment of The Fiscal Cliff – a Mail & Guardian series on how South Africa’s budget has been shaped – Sarah Smit considers the intimate link between the country’s ultra-high unemployment rate and austerity
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.
Mining windfall helped SA’s financial position, but lower revenues and additional spending will delay the end of fiscal consolidation
A bigger alliance will give the group extra economic heft, but it remains to be seen whether its members can speak in one voice
The recent rand crash has led some to believe another 50 basis point rise is on the horizon, despite a view that further hiking will do little to tame inflation
The currency, which is usually a bellwether for other emerging markets, has diverged from global trends – thanks in large part to
the energy crisis
Any gains made at the beginning of the year could be undone as the protests and the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown threaten business confidence
Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago makes a case for a lower target, though the trade union federation prefers job creation
The already turbulent labour market could see more strain if aspiring students lose out
But the country’s GDP growth in the fourth quarter of last year shows positive signs of recovery, at 6.3%
VAT should not be hiked, but a once-off levy on mineral resources or a solidarity tax seems likely
The country’s economy grew at an annualised rate of 66.1%, marking the strongest pace of expansion since at least 1993
The gross domestic product numbers are likely to be gloomy, but the economy is not at ground zero
The South African Reserve Bank’s monetary policy committee has unanimously decided to reduce the repo rate by 25 basis points, to 6.25%. This is the rate at which the bank lends money to other banks, which then lend it to people for things such as mortgages. The central bank revised the forecasted GDP growth for […]
The pressure on Eskom bonds has eased and the rand has rallied but global events can reverse the gains
Liberty Holdings CEO David Munro maintains that no clients suffered any financial loss as a result of the data breach
“Business will step up because they want Ramaphosa to succeed.”
Economist Kevin Lings highlights agricultural disappointments in an extract from his book ‘The Missing Piece: Solving South Africa’s Economic Puzzle’.
A major hedge fund is shorting shares in the unsecured lender in expectation of further declines.
Platinum miners would rather endure the "short-term pain" of losing millions each day than give up ground on a wage settlement.
Yields on South African bonds jumped to the highest level in 19 months as inflation accelerated and the rand slipped to a six-week low.
Good figures from last year suggest that 2012 is likely to be even better.
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/ 2 December 2011
This week gross domestic product (GDP) figures indicated a continued trend of slow economic growth with inflation on the rise.
As debt troubles in Europe and the United States keep global markets jittery, foreign investors appear to be shying away from South African bonds.
Businesses’ aversion to spending in the ‘real economy’ has many causes, experts say.
Job creation is needed to create "new" consumers, so economic activity is boosted without an increase in household debt.
The victorious Walmart bid to buy 51% of local retailer Massmart could boost South Africa’s profile as a trading launch pad into the African continent
<i>Smart Money</i> investigates inflation-beating investments. This week, we look at income funds.
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/ 17 January 2011
What does an investor need to know about outperformance? Stanlib’s Melissa Dyer explains.
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/ 10 January 2011
Global food prices have reached an all-time high and food inflation is on the rise. Will South Africa also be affected?
Stanlib’s Stephan Schalekamp explains when to use asset swaps and foreign domiciled investments.
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/ 3 December 2010
As credit growth starts to pick up, credit card debt declines.