July inflation figures offer welcome relief for consumers and business

The better-than-expected July figure for the consumer price index (CPI) is good news on the inflation front for business and consumers and helps to stabilise medium-term expectations.

In commenting on the CPI figures for July, Prof. Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West…

What South Africa’s latest unemployment figures mean for a generation still waiting

Millions of young South Africans will vote in November without ever having held stable employment. 

Persistent unemployment is delaying the point at which an entire generation can become economically independent. 

Starting a career ten years…

South Africa is running out of political enemies

"The real divide in South African politics may no longer be between left and right, liberation and opposition, or even government and opposition. It may increasingly be between those who continue searching for political enemies and those prepared to confront structural constraints that have no face, no party and no obvious villain."

NWU Business School Black & White Soirée marks MBA and PhD milestone

Academic excellence, resilience and visionary leadership took centre stage as the North-West University (NWU) Business School recently honoured its MBA and PhD graduates at an elegant Black & White Soirée held at the picturesque Feather Hill Boutique Hotel in Potchefstroom.

The…

The degree and the broken promise of mobility

South Africa's higher education system continues to expand at a time when the economy into which it feeds remains largely unchanged. Universities are expected to serve as engines of social mobility, offering individuals a path out of poverty and into the middle class.

MPC raises rates as precautionary inflation guard

As was expected, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised interest rates by 25 basis points on 28 May.

Prof. Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says the 4 to 2 vote was a preventative step against future inflation in the economy.

South Africa’s government is drowning in its own complexity

The South African government is becoming trapped within layers of accumulated complexity. The government therefore appears simultaneously hyper-present and absent. Complex systems create discretion and discretion creates power. Economic success becomes tied less to productive capability and more to proximity to administrative systems. The…

Jobs under pressure as risks rise

The negative unemployment figures for the first quarter of 2026 are another early warning signal of the shock that the global energy crisis is beginning to have on the South African economy and jobs.

Prof. Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business…

Defending truth in an era of corruption and eroding trust

In the shadow of state capture, pervasive corruption, and eroding public trust, a vital line of defence remains: investigative journalism. In a recent panel discussion titled “Investigative Journalism in Defence of Democracy,” facilitated by the NWU Business School, columnist and analyst Khaya Sithole moderated a conversation with journalists…

South Africa can manage global energy shock without risking fiscal stability

The magnitude of the global energy price shock to the economy makes an extension of the partial petrol and diesel relief to further mitigate the impact of negative global developments inevitable and desirable. 

Prof. Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU…