Policy priorities lie with urgent economic reforms

South Africa’s basic policy priorities now lie with urgently implementing overdue economic reforms and ensuring security of electricity supply to boost investor confidence, says NWU Business School economist, Prof Raymond Parsons.

“The decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to leave the repo rate unchanged in the present…

South African economy in ICU: How do we get out of it?

The South African economy is in dire need of resuscitation. A development economist from the North-West University (NWU) says that not since World War II have the local and global economies been affected in such a devastating way as by the impact of Covid-19.

According to Prof Danie Meyer, director of the TRADE research focus area…

TRADE hosts economic development master-class event

Informal sector can play bigger role in job creation

The TRADE research focus area at the North-West University (NWU) hosted a successful online master-class event on 4 September.

The event was open to the public and focused on economic development. It was well attended by members of TRADE,…

TRADE assesses the financial health of metropolitan municipalities

Most of the assessed group of metropolitan municipalities in South Africa are not financially healthy, with only three of eight of these metros being profitable, even though there has been a general improvement in their revenue and expenditure ratios.

This is the conclusion of Prof Danie Meyer, a development economist and director of…

NWU think tank explores solutions to socio-economic problems

What should South Africa be doing to tackle its long-standing socio-economic problems and build a more resilient future? This was the theme of a virtual think tank via Zoom that was convened by the North-West University (NWU) Business School on 20 August.

With the further easing of the lockdown regulations to Level 2 and business…

Covid-19, business and global economy: possible solutions

While there is no way to tell exactly what the economic damage from the global Covid-19 pandemic will be, there is widespread agreement among economists that it will have severe negative impacts on the global economy.

Economics professor from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Business School, Prof Ravinder Rena, was recently the…

SA’s lockdown exit strategy to level 2 is good news for the country

The widely expected and welcome decision announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa to move South Africa’s lockdown down to Level 2 is good news for the country, says NWU Business School economist Prof Raymond Parsons.

According to him, the prolonged lockdown since March has had a devastating economic impact on incomes and livelihoods.…

The cut in interest rates is good, but more would have been better

The further 25 basis-point cut in interest rates is positive, but 50 basis points would have been better. This is the view of Prof Raymond Parsons, well-known economist and academic from the NWU Business School.

“The decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to cut interest rates by another 25 basis points is broadly in line…

A long road ahead, but possible if crucial decisions are made

The Business School of the North-West University (NWU) has embarked on a brand-new online initiative in which current affairs in the South African sphere will be discussed via Zoom by a panel of experts during Covid-19, returning to round-table discussions when allowed. Journalists from various media will be invited to join the online panel…

"The true state of our nation"

“Heavenly vengeance pursues a crime slowly, but nevertheless catches up with it in the end. In matters of debt the penalty is not halting; it pursues the culprit at a gallop.” (Anon)

According to Prof Raymond Parsons, economist at the Business School of the North-West University (NWU), the Supplementary Budget presented by the…