Training Young People for Jobs: Insights From 9 African Countries on What’s Missing
Youth employment programmes need to be built around real jobs, capable institutions and the young people they are meant to serve.
GDP
Malawi’s Education Choices in the Wake of Aid Cuts
USAID’s closure, while painful and damaging, might give rise to a new arrangement beyond aid.
When Global Trade Becomes a Weapon
Africa needs to navigate the tension between interdependence, economic security, and economic diversification.
Phala Phala: Governing South Africa Must Be Given Top Priority
(Budget Vote Debate: Presidency) President Cyril Ramaphosa should deal with the Phala Phala matter swiftly and honestly so that the focus can shift to what should be the top priority in the interest of all South Africans: properly governing South Africa. Once this has happened, South Africa’s international relations policy should urgently be addressed. The […]
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Iran War Is Exposing South Africa’s Dependency on Diesel: What Went Wrong
Diesel has become South Africa’s shadow infrastructure system by compensating for failures in electricity generation and freight rail.
Mali’s Military Leader Is Consolidating Power. Why This Is Dangerous
Military regimes have shifted from presenting themselves as temporary ‘corrective’ interventions to becoming personalised systems of rule.
Mozambique’s Economy Is Failing: The Tough Policy Choices That Need to Be Made Urgently
Economic conditions for ordinary Mozambicans are deteriorating. Poverty has risen, public services are unreliable and there are few decent job opportunities.
Cape Town’s Bid to Manage Metrorail Gets the Go-Ahead in R1.9-Trillion National Plan
Mayor welcomes plan to rejuvenate country’s freight and passenger rail
Kenyans Are Encouraged to Work Abroad, but Protection Rights Remain Weak – New Research
The Kenyan government must look for ways to combine emigration with labour protections.
Development Finance in Africa: Economist Explains How Private Savings Could Be Unlocked
Africa does not lack household savings, but only a small share of these are placed in formal institutions.
Central Karoo Lags Behind Western Cape’s Progress
Teenage pregnancy, low birth weights, and high neonatal mortality plague the areas around Beaufort West and Laingsburg
SOPA: Premier’s Speech Fails Self-Reflection Test
Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba failed the test of self-reflection with her State of the Province Address (SOPA) as she completely overlooked the ANC’s own shortcomings by focusing on the past and external factors instead. Thus, Limpopo communities are once again deprived of honest leadership and transparency – both of which are essential for effectively addressing […]
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When Floods Hit, the Risk of Malaria Follows: How Disaster Systems Can Prepare Better
Flooding alters the environment in ways that favour malaria transmission.
South Africa Is Getting a Handle on Debt
Government expects to earn more, borrow less, and spend less on debt repayments
A Few Fiscal Rays of Hope Do Not Mean South Africa Is Enjoying Economic Summer Just Yet
Minister Enoch Godongwana’s 2026 Budget offers a mixture of relief and optimism, but it remains within a framework of poor policy directions and inadequate service delivery. With the constraints of damaging policy such as Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and Affirmative Action (AA) still firmly in place, the economy is growing too slowly to achieve rapid […]
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Africa’s Public Finances Are in a Mess: A New Book Explains Why and What to Do
Public finance is the means through which societies either raise living standards or entrench dependence.
Much Like Zuma’s 2014 SONA, President Ramaphosa Tries to Tell a “Good Story”, While Country Collapses
President Cyril Ramaphosa borrowed a page from former President Jacob Zuma’s 2014 State of the Nation Address (SONA) tonight by boasting about the country’s “good story”. President Ramaphosa delivered his speech in his capacity as President of South Africa, but he remains President of the ANC. And wherever his party governs – in councils, provinces […]
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These Numbers Should Frighten the Hell Out of You
South African government debt as a share of GDP from 1994 to date South Africa’s government debt-to-GDP ratio has followed a distinct “U-shaped” trajectory since 1994, falling significantly in the first decade of democracy before rising sharply following the 2008 global financial crisis. Historical Debt-to-GDP Ratios (1994–2026) Year | Debt as % of GDP | …