Statistics South AfricaIn the news
The Department of Tourism advises visitors to verify their routes on navigation apps, confirm ride-hailing vehicle details, and download safety platforms like the SECURA Traveller app before exploring.
TRAVELLER SAFETY

Tourism is booming, but is South Africa doing enough to keep visitors safe?

International arrivals are up 12%. The minister admits some places aren't safe. What is actually being done?

  • ZamaNdosi Cele
7 min read
South Africa’s inflation rate fell sharply to 4.3% in July, but rising oil prices and higher fuel costs could push inflation higher again in the months ahead.
INFLATION

South Africa inflation outlook in focus as oil prices put pressure on September rate decision

South Africa’s inflation eased to 4.3% in July, but higher oil and fuel prices could slow further progress ahead of the Reserve Bank’s September interest-rate decision.

  • Ashley Lechman
4 min read
Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has previously stressed that SETAs should no longer be viewed as grant-disbursing agencies or bursary administrators but as strategic economic institutions responsible for aligning workplace learning with industry demand.
THE EDITORS INTERVIEW

Manamela bets on SETAs overhaul to tackle youth joblessness

In an exclusive sit-down with The National, Manamela reveals his plans to overhaul a skills system that has barely changed since 2000 — and what comes next.

  • Siphelele Dludla
6 min read
South Africa’s economy contracted by 0.2% in the second quarter, while higher oil prices and a weaker rand put further pressure on financial markets and fuel costs.
MARKET ANALYSIS

Monday Markets: R2/litre petrol shock looms in October

Oil is surging, the rand is weakening and motorists could be in for a nasty October surprise.

  • Chris Harmse
4 min read
Consumers face mounting pressure.
GDP

GDP contraction puts pressure on South African consumers

South Africa’s latest economic number tells a bigger story.

  • Ashley Lechman
5 min read
A sustained rise in Brent crude towards $120 ((R1944) a barrel could raise fuel prices, inflation and interest-rate pressure in South Africa, while economists differ on whether it would trigger a global recession.
BRENTCRUDE

Oil shock looms: $120-a-barrel forecast sparks stagflation fears for South Africa

Could a sustained rise in Brent crude towards $120 a barrel trigger a global recession?

  • Yogashen Pillay
5 min read
South Africa’s latest economic data delivered mixed signals, with manufacturing confidence weakening while tourism and new vehicle sales improved. The rand remained relatively stable despite higher oil prices and global inflation concerns.
PMI

Sunday review: Rand holds firm as SA data paints mixed picture of economy

South Africa’s latest economic data delivered mixed signals, with manufacturing confidence weakening while tourism and new vehicle sales improved.

  • Ashley Lechman
  • Yogashen Pillay
5 min read
Worried about elderly parents living alone? Maybe AI has a solution.
AI

Could AI robots help care for South Africans’ ageing parents?

AI companions and robots are moving into elder care, but could they help South Africans care for ageing parents?

  • Vivian Warby
11 min read
Care work: Women perform the overwhelming majority of unpaid homemaking and caregiving work in South Africa, much of which falls outside conventional measures of economic activity.
WOMENS MONTH

Too much labour: South African women’s unpaid work the economy doesn’t count

2.1 million South African women do unpaid work that goes largely uncounted.

  • Ashley Lechman
5 min read
Public sector spending
INFRASTRUCTURE

1994–2026: SA’s unfinished infrastructure promise

Three decades after the RDP promised homes, water, sanitation and electricity, South Africa faces a trillion-rand test: turning infrastructure plans into reality.

  • Edward West
6 min read
Rising living costs squeeze budgets and it's being felt across the board.
ECONOMY

South Africa’s economy improves, but households remain under pressure

Inflation has eased and salaries rose, but debt, high costs and low savings still squeeze South African households.

  • Ashley Lechman
  • Vivian Warby
  • Yogashen Pillay
8 min read
Despite recent challenges with heavy rain, the latest Crop Estimates Committee (CEC) report indicates a strong harvest, with the maize crop still expected to be the largest on record.
MAIZE

South Africa’s record maize harvest, but El Niño looms

SA's commercial maize crop is forecast to reach 17.4 million tonnes in 2026, but an expected El Niño event remains a risk.

  • Yogashen Pillay
4 min read
Statistics South Africa reported a decrease in Consumer Price Inflation for July, yet consumers continue to face rising costs, particularly in fuel and essential goods.
INFLATION

Despite CPI decline, South Africans brace for higher fuel prices

Statistics South Africa reported a decrease in Consumer Price Inflation for July, yet consumers continue to face rising costs, particularly in fuel and essential goods.

  • Ashley Lechman
5 min read
Why does the grocery bill seem so much more expensive?
FOOD AFFORDABILITY

Ever been shocked that a small grocery shop costs R1,000? You’re not alone

Food inflation is slowing, but the grocery bill remains a squeeze.

  • Yogashen Pillay
8 min read
As unemployment grows so does the advancement of AI make the first rung of the ladder for youth to enter the job market.
SOUTH AFRICA

Women, youth, unemployment and AI: an unhappy alliance

As South Africa’s unemployment rate rises to 33.6%, youth advocacy groups are calling for urgent reforms to prepare young people for a labour market increasingly shaped by…

  • Ashley Lechman
6 min read
The City of Johannesburg.
UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS

What South Africa’s economic headlines told us this week

Weak economic growth, pressure on manufacturing and rising unemployment continue to weigh on South Africa, although July payment data points to some resilience in the economy.

  • Ashley Lechman
  • Yogashen Pillay
5 min read
Cape Town harbour.
ECONOMIC CHALLENGES

South Africa’s economy is moving again. Now comes the test

PayInc’s July data points to a modest rebound, but a sharp diesel increase and worsening unemployment underline how fragile the improvement remains.

  • Yogashen Pillay
5 min read
With South Africa's unemployment rate soaring to 33.6%, the debate intensifies: Is AI exacerbating job losses, or can it be a catalyst for new employment opportunities? Explore the insights from leading economists and industry experts.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

South Africa’s AI dilemma: productivity or jobs?

With South Africa's unemployment rate soaring to 33.6%, the debate intensifies: Is AI exacerbating job losses, or can it be a catalyst for new employment opportunities? Explore…

  • Ashley Lechman
6 min read
South Africa's jobs crisis is putting renewed pressure on job seekers.
ECONOMY

Stats SA data reveals extremely concerning trends in South Africa's labour market

South Africa’s unemployment rate has climbed to 33.6%, but the deeper concern is what the numbers reveal: the labour force is growing faster than the economy can create jobs.

  • Yogashen Pillay
7 min read