Further cut in interest rates is another valuable mitigating step

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cut the repo rate by another 50 basis points on 21 May. Prof Raymond Parsons, well-known economist and academic from the NWU Business School, says this underscores the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) resolve to provide the necessary monetary support in light of the economic impact of the prolonged…

Covid-19, the virus of uncertainty: the dominoes are falling one by one in the economy

The Covid-19 virus is causing unprecedented uncertainty on a global scale. An economist from the North-West University (NWU) says the impact of the pandemic is expected to be greater than that of the Spanish flu of a century ago.

According to Prof Danie Meyer, a development economist and director of the TRADE research focus area at…

Surviving a pandemic: South Africa economy post Covid-19

The global Covid-19 pandemic has seen unprecedented economic disruptions during the last few months.

According to North-West University (NWU) professor of Economics at the NWU Business School, Prof Ravinder Rena, it will take a very long time for the country’s economy to recover meaningfully after the measures introduced by…

Ramaphosa’s additional anti-Covid-19 economic package is a substantial raft

‘President Cyril Ramaphosa’s additional economic support package to address the fallout on the economy from Covid-19 represents a highly substantial raft of measures designed to assist distressed businesses, households and individuals, adding up to about 10% of South Africa’s GDP.”

This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a well-…

Further cut in interest rates is a welcome pre-emptive step

“The South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB’s) surprise decision to cut interest rates by another 100 basis points is a welcome move. This will help to support the South African economy as it grapples with a rapidly deteriorating situation as a result of the extended Covid-19 lockdown.”

This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a…

Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic: We are on a knife-edge

* A realistic, optimistic plan of action is needed

“The coronavirus pandemic is a health war that has led to an economic war, so South Africa requires a multidimensional plan to survive.”

Prof Danie Meyer, a development economist and director of the TRADE research focus area of the North-West University (NWU), believes…

A silver lining amidst COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly shown us what it means to live in unprecedented times. In the following opinion piece, Michelle Groenewald – a lecturer in economics at the North-West University (NWU) – shares her views on some encouraging measures that have taken place of late. She asks the question: can South Africans demand a better…

Coronavirus pandemic: economic-impact scenarios in an uncertain environment

A development economist from the North-West University (NWU) says for South Africa to survive the current coronavirus pandemic, the current lockdown must be a success and the virus must be brought under control by the end of April.

Prof Danie Meyer, director of the TRADE research focus area at the NWU, says it is also of the utmost…

NWU students shine at SAICA exams

Students from the North-West University again showed why superlatives follow its chartered accounting programme like a shadow when the latest South African Institute for Chartered Accountants (SAICA) ITC results were released on Friday 27 March.

Along with the release of the Namibian ICAN results, students from the NWU scored…

Teaching and learning go online as NWU takes education to people

The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally disrupted teaching-learning activities in South Africa and across the globe. It also challenges how we think about education and assessment, in general.

“Disruptions are opportunities to reflect on assumptions made about teaching, learning and learners,” says Prof Robert Balfour, the North-…