The So What?

In this episode we look at the pressing need to integrate economics and foreign policy in a way that will advance the interests of the country. So what? South Africa’s stance on the war in Ukraine and our interactions with Russia and China have hurt us economically. On the other hand, we have legitimate foreign policy concerns which can and must be accommodated. Brazil and India have managed the s...

This episode brings the listener something very different: a real-life story from the ground up, providing a practical example of how electricity distribution in SA will change over the near future. It is the story of a family and of a business, starting out in Hammanskraal in the 1990s with a baby in the bakkie as Dad climbed a ladder while Mum held a flashlight, to a distribution company in Mafu...

A year before the term of the current parliament comes to an end, we look at what the numbers tell us about possible election results in 2024. Against the background of the chaos in municipalities governed by coalitions, what can happen if the ANC loses their national majority? We look at what different parties have said and done to indicate where they stand on governing as part of coalitions. So...

This episode makes the point that Eskom is dying and cannot be saved in its current condition. Electricity provision, however, is not dying. We unpack the generation deficit causing load shedding and outline the likely path out of the conumdrum. So what? Load shedding will be with us for the next two years. There are no quick fixes, but it is not impossible either. For more about JP, and to read h...

After the annual UN climate change conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, we discuss the implications of South Africa’s undertaking (following COP21 in Paris in 2015) to reduce our carbon emissions by about 17% by 2030. We are the 13th largest emitter in the world, because most of our electricity comes from coal, contributing more than half of the country’s emissions. The rest is mainly caused by transpor...

In this episode we give our annual update on the fight against corruption. We cover arrests in state capture cases, as well as monies reclaimed from individuals and companies like Bain, McKinsey and ABB. Markus Jooste and family lost assets to the Reserve Bank. So what ? High-flyers, companies as well as individuals, have been charged. That is progress, even though it does not yet guarantee convic...

This is part 2 of a 2-part episode. Part 1 available here. In the midst of constant load shedding, this episode sketches a possible new future as Eskom’s 100-year monopoly is broken, the country moves from coal to renewables, and a whole new industry is born with enormous investment possibilities. We also address Eskom’s debt and the question of when load shedding will end. So what? South Africa’s...

This is part 1 of a 2-part episode. In the midst of constant load shedding, this episode sketches a possible new future as Eskom’s 100-year monopoly is broken, the country moves from coal to renewables, and a whole new industry is born with enormous investment possibilities. We also address Eskom’s debt and the question of when load shedding will end. So what? South Africa’s biggest crisis current...

In this episode, we connect the dots on government’s economic policy since 2018. Daily headlines can be confusing, so we focus on what has actually happened, not what was promised or planned. Areas we touch on include the macro-economic framework, spectrum release, energy reform, and structural changes in railways and harbours. So what ? More space is being made for the private sector. This signal...