A third of South Africa’s farming income depends on irrigation. Disruptions in power supply put huge chunks of the country’s agricultural fortunes at risk.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on South Africa's economy
Displaying 1 - 20 of 50 articles
Most farmworkers were not even aware that the farm they worked on was Fairtrade certified.
Making the green energy transition a success requires governments to pay attention to environmental factors and socioeconomic imperatives.
There’s a case to be made for combining cash grants and job-search assistance services.
Social grants are the largest source of support for many vulnerable groups. They are the government’s primary response to poverty, food insecurity and inequality.
Security companies suggest that criminals take advantage of the fact that many home and business security systems get compromised during power outages.
The government’s approach to redistributing farmland has been mostly ineffective. Failure can be attributed to limited implementation, poor institutional capacity and corruption.
Political and social instability in the country, as seen in frequent mass protests and xenophobia, threaten the flow of African tourists.
An unfunded expansion of the social transfer system could lead to even worse economic outcomes — the medicine should not be worse than the disease.
The trend globally is for countries to be explicit about their maritime interests, underpinned by a sound security strategy.
Ramaphosa’s presidency has been dogged by several controversies related to his business interests.
The new rules are de facto non-tariff barriers to trade. They increase trade costs for South Africa’s citrus industry.
Subsidies to shield the general population from oil price increases do not automatically reduce poverty and inequality.
International experience suggests South Africa can benefit by focusing on a simple restructuring of its power utility, allowing well-run state-owned entities to flourish.
The deliberations were characterised by disingenuous, counter-factual policy pronouncements, and de facto denials of the ANC’s culpability in causing many of the current problems facing the country.
Despite regular incidents of anti-migrant violence, peaceful and mutually beneficial relationships between South Africans and migrants can and do exist.
Land reform had not been held back by the constitution but by capacity constraints and a lack of political will.
Social security reforms are needed that include support for the long-term and chronically unemployed and informal workers.
The sums aren’t adding for South Africa on either the spending or revenue side. It’s a problem that’s developed over time with no action being taken.
The ANC retains its determination to rule yet lacks the capacity to do so effectively. The only way out of the dilemma is its defeat in an election.
Top contributors
-
Professor of Social Development Studies, University of Johannesburg
-
Professor of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Associate professor at the Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg, University of Johannesburg
-
Senior Fellow, Department of Agricultural Economics, Stellenbosch University
-
Senior Researcher, UNESCO 'Oliver Tambo' Chair of Human Rights, University of Fort Hare, University of Fort Hare
-
Professor: International Business & Strategy, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Professor of Political Studies, University of Johannesburg
-
Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies
-
Professor in Political Science, University of South Africa
-
Senior Researcher, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Lecturer on Sociology, Harvard University
-
Distinguished Professor and H F Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law, Stellenbosch University
-
Visiting Professor and Professor Emeritus, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Chair of Social Security Systems Administration and Management Studies, Adjunct Professor in the School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Dean, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Stellenbosch University
