News in South Africa 27th February: 1. Major new financial laws: The highly anticipated Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) Bill is set to have major ramifications across several industries. Although the Bill is unlikely to be tabled before Parliament rises ahead of the elections on May 29 2024, marketplaces are both excited and cautious. The Bill […]
News in South Africa 13th February: 1. SA’s biggest risks: The biggest risks to South Africa’s 2024 economic outlook may come from insufficient power supply, strains on debt sustainability and the erosion of state legitimacy ahead of elections, according to Allianz. The global financial services giant estimates that South Africa’s economy will expand by 1.4% […]
News in South Africa 6th February: 1. Consumer relief on the horizon: Battered by low wage growth, high interest rates, and increasing debt levels, many South African consumers are in the worst financial shape they’ve been in for years, maybe even decades. The result is a persistently weak economy. This faltering economy, driven mostly by […]
News in South Africa 15th January: 1. Massive electricity price hike: Despite having the worst year of load shedding in 2023, and many analysts noting it is firmly here to stay in 2024, South Africans must prepare for another double-digit Eskom tariff increase this year. In December 2023, the High Court of South Africa rejected […]
News in South Africa 19th December: 1. Severe water shortages: Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, has pleaded with residents of Gauteng to reduce their water consumption as the water supply remains vulnerable to disruptions and may not be able to meet demand, resulting in shortages. Johannesburg and its surrounds have been hit by […]
News in South Africa 27th October: 1. Warning signs for inflation: Producer price inflation (PPI) has grown, spelling bad news for South African consumers at the tills. According to Stats SA, September’s headline PPI increased from 4.3% in August to 5.1% in September – slightly worse than the Bloomberg consensus of 5.0%. The main contributors […]
News in South Africa 18th October: 1. Water infrastructure collapse: South Africa’s deteriorating water infrastructure threatens to plunge the country into widespread social unrest as taps run dry in some of the country’s largest cities. This is feedback from water expert and University of the Free State professor Dr Anthony Turton, who told Newzroom Afrika that “we […]
News in South Africa 11th October: 1. SA is falling apart: South Africa is falling apart, with unreliable electricity, poor railways, ports which do not function properly, a dilapidated road network, and deteriorating state finances. Late last month, Transnet CEO Portia Derby and CFO Nonkululeko Dlamini resigned, with Transnet Rail CEO Siza Mzimela following suit […]
News in South Africa 18th September: 1. Transnet costing economy R1bn daily: Last week, the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry called on Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to remove Transnet CEO Portia Derby and other key executives, claiming their lack of service delivery is sabotaging business. This is the latest broadside against the state-owned […]
News in South Africa 5th September: 1. Stage 6 load shedding: Power utility Eskom has announced that load shedding will be escalated to stage 6 indefinitely. With the increase in generation planned maintenance, as well as the loss of a further two generation units on Monday, the utility said that Stage 6 load shedding will […]
