“The long-awaited decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to reconstitute his Cabinet and also fill existing key ministerial vacancies will be judged by the outcomes achieved in the period ahead.”

In commenting on the Cabinet reshuffle that was announced on 6 March, Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says the selection of ministers is inevitably the outcome of a delicate navigation of political forces and interests in deciding on the Cabinet’s ultimate, yet enlarged, composition.

If the elevated fiscal risks outlined in the Budget speech on 22 February 2023 were to materialise, the South African economy could well drift into a recession later this year, said a panel of experts in discussing the Budget in an NWU Business School Pitso today. Questions put to the panel were whether the 2023 Budget responded adequately to a highly unfavourable global and domestic economic environment, whether the Budget strategy could generate a fiscal offset to current economic challenges, and what fiscal risks still faced the economy and the country’s public finances.

South Africa’s heightened global risk status due to greylisting unfortunately dents an investment profile already grappling with factors such as the negative impact of aggressive load-shedding, lack of energy security, ongoing junk status and other uncertainties.

Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, in commenting on the decision by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to greylist South Africa, says although it has been widely expected for some months, it is bad news that South Africa’s present vulnerable economy can do without.

The 2023 Budget speech was a surprise-free, pragmatic and credible response to a challenging set of global and domestic economic circumstances.

Prof Raymond Parsons, an economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, commented on the 2023 Budget introduced to parliament by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana.

“Although having received some windfall tax-revenue gains, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana still had a difficult balancing act given the political and economic constraints within which he had to shape fiscal policy.”

The North-West University (NWU) Business School hosted its third PITSO discussion for 2023 during which experts deliberated on the President’s State of the Nation Address on 9 February 2023. With 184 attendees, topics discussed included the current energy question, issues pertaining to the current energy crisis, economic growth and the reality of crime, corruption and renewal.

The 2023 State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Parliament on 9 February gave a wide-ranging, candid and realistic appraisal of South Africa’s present tough and challenging economic landscape.

On Friday, 3 February, the North-West University (NWU) Business School concluded its Summer Study School for MBA students. Overall, the week was a resounding success, with students testifying to tremendous value gained in terms of networking, keynote inputs and a better understanding of what to expect from the programme this year.

One of the biggest challenges for leaders in today's increasingly online business world is how to carry out their job as managers. In the past, it was easier for leaders to promote a culture of trust and integrity because they knew what everyone was doing and could see when someone was not performing in accordance with their ethics. But now, with remote workforces and teams spread across different countries, organisations are struggling to make sure that employees are adhering to their ethical standards consistently across departments and geographies.

So, the word is out, and after much anticipation, Dr Joseph Sekhampu was announced to be the new chief director of the Business School at the North-West University (NWU). But who is Joseph Sekhampu, and what is his vision for the school and for life in general? Who is the man in the golden seat and how does he operate workwise, life-wise and dream-wise?

“As was expected, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) continued with its interest-raising cycle with an increase of 25 basis points (bsp), instead of the higher 50 bsp option that had also been widely canvassed.”

According to Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, this is the right decision in the present stressful economic circumstances.