News

Global governance expert, Dr Thelela Ngcetane-Vika, says the withdrawal of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s invitation to the G7 Summit in France demonstrates the United States’ problematic influence on the global governance architecture. France’s decision to disinvite President Ramaphosa to the summit in June comes after Washington threatened to boycott the event should South Africa be in …

The DA has called for a 50% reduction in the fuel levy, warning South Africa is facing a sharp and immediate fuel price shock driven by escalating conflict in Iran. Speaking at a press briefing, DA finance spokesperson Mark Burke said petrol is expected to increase by more than R5 a litre and diesel by …

I’ve just returned from the ProWein trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany. This was my 18th time attending. I’ve seen the show at its busiest, its most energetic, and at a time when it genuinely felt like the centre of the wine world. This year felt different. Not dramatically, and not in a way that suggests …

Gauteng recorded the highest share of deaths, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. South Africa recorded almost 500 000 deaths in 2023, a decrease from the previous year. The numbers show a continuing recovery from the devastating Covid pandemic in 2021, according to Statistics South Africa’s latest Mortality and Causes of Death report. The …

The only International Economic Association (IEA) Fellow from the country, Emeritus Professor Murray Leibbrandt is a distinguished academic economist. He studies poverty‚ inequality and labour market dynamics in South Africa using longitudinal survey data and‚ in particular‚ panel data. He is being acknowledged for his high-quality policy work and excellence in research publications through the …

As South Africans brace for a massive looming petrol price hike, residents in the Cape Peninsula are already feeling the pinch. The United States and Israel’s war in Iran has ignited global panic, with the conflict expected to severely impact fuel prices and supply. Supply issues are already affecting businesses across the Garden Route, Klein …

Staff Writer  ·25 Mar 2026 The good-time start to the year is over, with economists warning of massive energy price hikes next month that will drive inflation higher, potentially trigger interest rate hikes, and place a huge damper on economic growth. The PayInc Net Salary Index, which tracks the nominal net salaries of an estimated …

A National Scam Centre is a centralised government-led agency that brings together various experts to fight fraud. (Image created via ChatGPT) The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) is looking to establish a National Scam Centre in the long-term, as part of developing a more coordinated national approach to tackling the rising rate of sophisticated cyber …

[embedded content] English and Afrikaans soundbites by Dr Mark Burke MP.  South African households are in the line of fire of the oil price shock. Many minimum wage workers spend a third of their wages on transport. Petrol price increases will drive up taxi fares, they will drive up food prices and they will drive …

Malcolm Libera  ·25 Mar 2026 Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe has warned petrol stations that withholding fuel is illegal and has promised to prosecute those found to be doing so in South Africa.  During a Q&A session in the National Assembly (NA) on 25 March, Mantashe made it clear that any deliberate …

Luke Fraser  ·25 Mar 2026 South Africans with retirement funds have been warned about the long-term consequences of withdrawing from their two-pot funds, especially amid current market volatility. Retirement funds were subject to new legislation in 2024, when the two-pot system came into effect, allowing limited access to funds while ensuring that the majority of …