NWU academics weighs in on cannabis master plan implementation

On 28 September 2021 North West MEC Desbo Mohono hosted a webinar on how the national Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development’s cannabis master plan could be implemented in the province.

The department recently presented the cannabis master plan to parliament,…

Low level of borrowing costs continues to promote economic stability

The decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to leave the repo rate unchanged for the fourth consecutive time last week was widely expected and in line with market expectations.

Prof Raymond Parsons, an economist from the Business School of the North-West University (NWU…

Flexibility and staying positive are key to boosting tourism

A North-West University (NWU) academic at the School of Tourism Management is calling for fresh and innovative thinking to boost the local tourism sector, which has declined by almost 80% since 2019.

Prof Peet van der Merwe says there has recently been a slight increase in international visitors to South Africa, but nowhere near the…

Move to Adjusted Level 2 is positive, but economy not yet out of the woods

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on moving South Africa to Adjusted Level 2 of the lockdown is positive for the economy, whose prospects still need further reinforcement and confidence building.

Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the Business School of the North-West…

South Africa needs to build on widening the current economic recovery

The better news about South Africa’s growth performance in the second quarter of 2021 is welcome. It suggests a slow but steady recovery from the shocks experienced as a result of the further lockdowns and civil unrest that occurred earlier in the year.

Prof Raymond Parsons,…

Unemployment is now the “cruellest tax” on a vulnerable population

A new record high (34,4%) in the South African unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2021 confirms the destructive impact that the Delta variant of the coronavirus and the accompanying lockdown restrictions have had on the economy and the labour market.

Prof Raymond Parsons…

Reshuffled cabinet is an important step in the right direction

“The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of a reshuffled cabinet on 5 August is a long-awaited important step in the right direction to help rebuild business confidence at a time when it has been badly shaken by recent events in South Africa.”

Prof Raymond Parsons, an…

Low borrowing costs are important for business and consumer confidence

The decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to keep interest rates unchanged again was in line with market expectations and similar to its approach at its previous meeting in May 2021.

Prof Raymond Parsons, an economist from the Business School of the North-West…

Bridging the digital divide

With the global community having moved into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Dr Kaizer Ndlovu from the North-West University (NWU) believes that there is a plethora of benefits that come with bridging the digital divide.

Dr Ndlovu currently teaches technology management in the NWU’s MBA programme, and says he is excited about…

NWU’s prospective chartered accountants shine

Despite the many challenges that students had to face during the Covid-19 pandemic, the prospective chartered accountants at the North-West University (NWU) did exceptionally well in their ITC (Initial Test of Competence).

The results from the South African Institute of Chartered…