Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
economy of south africalatest news & developments
Consumer inflation is expected to remain close to the central bank’s 6% ceiling, amid war-induced oil price rally (Dean Hutton/ Bloomberg/ Getty Images)
COVID 19

The South African economy: Nobody knows what happens next

Rough models show that over R600-billion in GDP could be lost, along with two million jobs. That would mean Covid-19 has a worse impact than the 2008 global recession

  • Thando Maeko
  • Tshegofatso Mathe
7 min read
(John McCann/M&G)
AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Richard Calland: Covid-19 can have positive outcomes

Democracy and social welfare may get a boost and blind capitalism may see that it’s unsustainable

  • Richard Calland
8 min read
ACADEMIC RESEARCH

Varsities need cash to stay ahead: South Africa has too much to lose from cost cuts

Unless the government acts now, we will leave our children with a legacy of scientific colonialism.

  • Staff Reporter
5 min read
The Reserve Bank has maintained the repo — at which it lends to commercial banks — steady at 8.25% for five consecutive meetings, since hiking it by 50 basis points in May 2023.
ECONOMY OF SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is Africa’s largest economy (again). But what does it mean?

South Africa has toppled Nigeria and reclaimed its status as the largest economy in Africa.

  • Jannie Rossouw
5 min read
The Council for Medical Schemes estimates that fraud, abuse or waste accounts for about 15% of the R160-billion in claims that medical aids pay out annually. (Gallo)
COST OF LIVING

A downgrade to junk status will hurt everyone

The question is: Can those in government work together to claw back an investor-friendly status for South Africa?

  • Lynley Donnelly
9 min read
Trump has made Iran a favourite target since his rapprochement with nuclear-armed North Korea. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
CURRENCY

Massive foreign sell-off jolts SA

Foreign investors pulled R12.8-billion in one week, the biggest outflow since 2008, casting a harsh light on policy direction and the trade deficit.

  • Lloyd Gedye
5 min read
ECONOMY OF SOUTH AFRICA

Rand slips to all-time low on heritage day

As SA markets took the day off on heritage day the rand dipped past 14 to the dollar for the second time in four weeks and slipped to an all-time low.

  • Staff Reporter
3 min read
CHINA

Gold goes the way of oil – down, down down; commodity markets will sweat this year

Though gold is still South Africa’s top export, it has slipped from being the world’s biggest producer in 2006 and is now in sixth position.

  • Christine Mungai
  • Staff Reporter
5 min read