Bizskoops (English)

South Africa will present its case to the United States Trade Representative this week, while the World Bank has recommended that the country extend its 15% corporate tax rate to all Special Economic Zones. We continue our discussion with political and trend analyst JP Landman on South Africa’s struggling municipal system, while Professor Waldo Krugell takes a closer look at the economics behind t...

On this week’s Bizskoops: The South African Revenue Service will expand its auto-assessment system to include selected provisional taxpayers for the first time, while Statistics South Africa has released its latest Quarterly Employment Statistics. We begin a new series of discussions with political and trend analyst JP Landman on South Africa’s struggling municipal system. Professor Waldo Krugell...

South African consumer confidence fell sharply during the second quarter, and South Africans may soon see major changes to the country’s ATM network. Professor Waldo Krugell discusses the impact of artificial intelligence on young people and employment and explains why the future belongs to those who know how to use and manage AI effectively. In international business news, Oracle has cut about 21...

On this week’s Bizskoops: South Africa’s annual consumer price inflation rose to 4.5% in May, while the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources says the country’s long-delayed national mining cadastre should be operational by the end of March next year. Professor Waldo Krugell discusses the impact that fuel price increases over the past two months may have on consumer spending. In internatio...

On this week’s Bizskoops: South Africa’s economy grew by only 0.5% in the first quarter, while Eskom’s restructuring remains on the cards despite a missed deadline. Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis shares insights on whether the recent upgrade by Fitch Ratings is likely to have any meaningful impact on the challenges facing businesses and on economic growth. Professor Waldo Krugell d...

On this week’s Bizskoops: South African business confidence weakened sharply in the second quarter, while the country has recorded the highest rate of suspected digital fraud in Africa. Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis shares insights on whether current policy responses are addressing the right problems. Professor Waldo Krugell provides an overview of key financial indicators at the...

On this week’s Bizskoops: The South African Reserve Bank is set to decide on the repo rate this week, and we discuss the possible factors influencing its decision and the likely outcomes. Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis also explains how the global bond selloff is increasing South Africa’s borrowing costs. Professor Waldo Krugell discusses how the effects of the Middle East conflict...

On this week’s Bizskoops: We speak to Dr Elna Moolman, Group Head of South Africa Macroeconomic Research at Standard Bank, about April inflation, which surged to 4%, while Minister Gwede Mantashe assures South Africans that there is no immediate risk of fuel shortages. Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis unpacks concerns around rising unemployment, while Professor Waldo Krugell explains...

On this week’s Bizskoops: We speak to Professor Deon Tustin from Unisa about the latest Bureau of Market Research and Unisa Economist of the Year Competition forecasts. South Africa’s official unemployment rate has risen while Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis unpacks concerns raised by National Treasury South Africa over the financial position of Johannesburg. Professor Waldo Krugell...

On this week’s Bizskoops: South Africa could see around one-thousand-540 business insolvencies this year, while rising fuel costs are prompting consumers to cut back on travel. We speak to Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis on whether the South African Reserve Bank may follow the lead of the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England in holding interest rates steady. He also explains why...

On this week’s Bizskoops: The fuel tax relief has been extended to 2 June, while government proposes changes to its exchange control system and public procurement regulations. Professor Waldo Krugell reflects on the state of the economy in light of Freedom Day, asking whether true freedom is possible without economic growth. In global business news, Japan Airlines is trialling humanoid robots for...

On this week’s Bizskoops: South Africa’s inflation has edged slightly higher, and the South African Revenue Service has introduced a boost for major diesel users. Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis shares his insight into the decision by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cut South Africa’s 2026 GDP growth forecast in its April World Economic Outlook. Professor Waldo Krugell refl...

On this week’s Bizskoops: South Africa’s road freight and agricultural sectors are under growing pressure due to rising diesel prices, and the South African Revenue Service has intensified its debt collection efforts. Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis unpacks recent polls indicating that having a job remains the top concern of South African voters. Professor Waldo Krugell explains whe...

On this week’s Bizskoops: We further unpack the impact of the Middle East war on South Africa’s economy. Chris Hattingh from the Centre for Risk Analysis explains why the recently reported JSE’s losses and the spike in bond yields must be read within the context of the Middle East conflict . Professor Waldo Krugell talks about his research on price shocks. Meanwhile, entertainment giant Universal...

On this week’s Bizskoops: Government has announced a reduction in the general fuel levy to offset the impact of the steep fuel increases, and civil contractor confidence has declined. Chris Hattingh of the Centre for Risk Analysis unpacks the Auditor-General’s latest findings on national and provincial government audit outcomes. Professor Waldo Krugell explains the concept of the price elasticity...

On this week’s Bizskoops: Consumer confidence in South Africa has improved slightly and Eskom reports improved financial performance. Chris Hattingh from the Centre for Risk Analysis unpacks why he thinks there might be a spike in inflation in April. Professor Waldo Krugell talks about why South Africa still struggles with food insecurity, despite having a thriving agriculture sector. Australia an...

On this week’s Bizskoops: Interest rate cuts seem less likely day by day, and the annual consumer inflation fell to three percent in February. Chris Hattingh from the Centre for Risk Analysis unpacks the knock-on impact of the current Middle East conflict, beyond just the energy crises. Professor Waldo Krugell delves into the looming fuel price increases, inflation, and a lesson we can learn from...

On this week’s Bizskoops: South Africans will face higher electricity prices in the coming months, and the economy grew slightly below forecasts Chris Hattingh from the Centre for Risk Analysis unpacks the impact of rising oil costs on the economy. Professor Waldo Krugell delves into GDP numbers and the drivers of growth. We investigate the effect of the Middle East conflict on the gold price and...

On this week’s Bizskoops, Middle East tensions spike Brent crude and weaken the rand, threatening SA rate cuts. JSE hits record profits! Chris Hattingh from the Centre for Risk Analysis unpacks Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s upbeat budget. Professor Waldo Krugell analyses US-Israel-Iran fallout for global and local economies. Thomas Pinter, Chief Commercial Officer at Damisa, reveals multi-cu...

On this week’s Bizskoops, we unpack Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s budget speech. South Africa is at a fiscal turning point post-State Capture, with debt stabilisation, infrastructure push, and efficiency gains showing results. Economist Professor Waldo Krugell shares his take on Minister Godongwana’s budget. Thomas Pinter, Chief Commercial Officer at Damisa, tells us more about blockchain's...

On this week’s Bizskoops, we break down last week’s State of the Nation Address with insights from Chris Hattingh, the Executive Director at the Centre for Risk Analysis. January’s Consumer Price Index dipped to 3.5% annually (from 3.6%), with housing, food, and financial services as key drivers. Economist Professor Waldo Krugell unpacks the interest costs of public debt. On investments: Thomas Pi...

Catch the latest skoop on this week’s Bizskoops! On this week’s Bizskoops, we dive into alarming economic trends: new data reveals South Africa’s income per person is now lower than nearly two decades ago, driven by weak growth, electricity shortages, and labour challenges. Chris Hattingh, Executive Director at the Centre for Risk Analysis, shares his insights on why corporates are struggling to j...

On this week’s Bizskoops, economist Professor Waldo Krugell joins us to explain what last week’s decision by the Monetary Policy Committee to keep the repo rate unchanged really means for households, businesses, and the broader growth outlook. At the same time, we look at rising tensions between farmer organisations and the minister of agriculture over foot and mouth disease management, with Chris...

Catch the latest skoop on this week’s Bizskoops! ​ Economist Professor Waldo Krugell joins us to interpret late‑2025 economic indicators and what they reveal about an economy that is showing slow, but measurable, improvement while still weighing on regional performance. Executive Director of the Centre for Risk Analysis, Chris Hattingh, offers further perspective on what the latest growth revision...

Catch the latest skoop on this week’s Bizskoops! On this week’s Bizskoops, we look at the new race-based employment equity plans required under the amended Employment Equity Act for employers with more than 50 staff, as Chris Hattingh from the Centre for Risk Analysis explains the potential implications for companies and the wider economy. Economist Professor Waldo Krugell joins us to reflect on o...