For many South Africans, the prospects of finding a job are diminishing every quarter – even more so for black women and the youth. The latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa, points to an unemployment crisis that will only deepen further unless something drastic changes. The following articles highlight some of […]

In modern democratic governments, the second most powerful person after the president is often the finance minister. Proving the point, Minister Enoch Godongwana has, over the last few weeks, demonstrated that he is no pushover in exercising his authority over the national fiscus. His decision to withhold equitable share payments to 69 municipalities drew widespread […]

As we wait to hear what Minister Enoch Godongwana has to say to us on Wednesday, a quote by Terry Pratchett, in his book The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, springs to mind: “A good plan isn’t one where someone wins, it’s where nobody thinks they’ve lost.” That’s essentially what a budget is – […]

George Bernard Shaw once wittily remarked that if all the economists were laid end to end, they’d never reach a conclusion. Contrary to Mr Shaw’s remark, many South African economists think that the tide is turning in favour of our economy. However, they also caution that the fluidity of geopolitical tensions may just dampen the […]