By Busisiwe Mavuso

I call on government to approach the healthcare question with the same openness to partnership with business that it has shown in solving our electricity crisis.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged at the 2023 South Africa Investment Conference that the visa regime would be overhauled.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The National Electricity Crisis Committee last year pulled together the best minds on electricity and set out a plan to address the crisis.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

BLSA has called on government to take a clear position on arms trades with Russia, as other non-aligned countries like China have done.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The attack on De Ruyter and the risk assessment that BLSA part-funded must be seen in terms of who stands to benefit.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Last week I got to see a success story of what can happen when business and local government work together.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Our greatest economic challenge is the electricity crisis. And we have a plan to deal with it.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

While the investment conference’s R1.5 trillion is impressive, it has happened during five years of the weakest economic growth we’ve seen for decades.  

By Busisiwe Mavuso

It requires constant care to position the “brand” of South Africa as an excellent opportunity for investors.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We need to give international companies the sense that they are welcome in South Africa and the confidence to plan on investments here without the fear that they will simply be unable to send their people because we cannot manage our own bureaucracy. 

By Busisiwe Mavuso

I believe last week was a positive indicator of how government and the private sector can work together to improve the security situation.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We know what needs to happen, and so does government. We just need to get it done.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We have over the last few years had to find ways of working to overcome all kinds of external shocks and today presents another.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

BLSA is already working on the areas of concern expressed by S&P and the issues that are keeping South Africans, international stakeholders and investors awake at night.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We hope to see the creation of the RMF become the turning point in our efforts to address the electricity crisis that has plagued us for years.

The electricity crisis has been exacerbated by the lack of alignment between key stakeholders.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

A lack of delivery on key reforms, maladministration and corruption have conspired to bring the country to what is a crisis position.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

In drawing attention to progress, we shouldn’t minimise the very real and serious challenges we face.

With resolving the electricity crisis so critical to our economic prospects, BLSA hopes government will be united in implementing the Energy Action Plan.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The conversations I had last week demonstrated the great deal of creative energy and passion for this country that is out there.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We must take heart that Mauritius was able to get itself off the grey list in less than two years after implementing the necessary reforms.

BLSA hopes that the JET-IP package is not now at risk with the countries that are funding it already concerned about SA’s international positioning.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

BLSA was relieved to hear that concrete measures are finally being taken to address the debt owed to Eskom by municipalities.

BLSA expected the country’s fiscal trajectory to weaken given the Eskom debt transfer and while SA’s high debt level is a concern, we believe this was necessary to help address the crippling effects of loadshedding.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

A solution to Eskom’s debt problems will undoubtedly be the most important feature of this budget.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

With loadshedding now causing massive economic destruction every day, addressing the energy crisis will be central to the budget.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The form that any incentive takes is therefore crucial to stimulating off-grid installations. Zero-rating VAT for renewable energy components and invertors is a simple option.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Social friction undermines all elements of society including business.

More accountability is being shifted away from cabinet and into the presidency.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

While some fear it is now “up in the air”, it’s important to emphasise that SA’s energy transition is inevitable and is progressing in certain areas.

It’s important for government to limit the use of the extra powers it has granted itself purely to address the loadshedding crisis on a least-regret basis.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Business is heavily invested in the fight against corruption because the application of the rule of law is essential to the business environment.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

A state of disaster triggers emergency powers that can limit constitutional rights.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

It is critically important for leaders to make calm decisions based on the facts. Anything else is irresponsible.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Patronage and corruption exist in other states too, so SA is not alone in having a crippled public service – but that is no excuse for complacency.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

With a cabinet reshuffle being imminent, BLSA hopes leaders are appointed who are fully committed to resolving the problems that are holding up progress.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Despite the lack of any major breakthrough announced by Necom, promises of the end of loadshedding are coming thick and fast with elections looming next year.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Climate-resilient infrastructure needs to become embedded into SA’s infrastructure development.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

While we tend to focus on our own problems, the WEF provides a clear lesson on the global context in which we find ourselves.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

There are many legacy issues that remain unresolved while new problems keep arising, demanding priority status.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Business will keep pushing hard for policies we believe are in the best interests of the economy and all South Africans.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We must make clear to the world that the project of rebuilding institutions is working.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The economy is too fragile for the country to withstand any further misgovernance.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The best way to accelerate the reform process and help to overcome obstacles is to open the way for further private sector participation.

BLSA is extremely concerned that international support for SA’s just energy transition might
now be at risk if a change in CEO signals a change in approach.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Whatever gripes you might have with South Africa, the drama is certainly compelling.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

In her last letter of 2022, BLSA’s CEO reflects on what BLSA has done this year to help deliver inclusive economic growth.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Heading into the ANC elective conference next week, the most important message is for the leadership to do their duty and put the country’s interests first.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

As business, we support the appropriate legal avenues being fully exhausted as recommended by the Section 89 Panel.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The collapse of the rand and the value of South Africa’s traded debt last Thursday showed how concerned investors were.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Government should set itself a goal: no new state entities can be formed until it has fixed all the ones that it has broken.

BLSA will continue to stand resolutely in support of the rule of law and we call on all stakeholders in South Africa to do so too.

E2 looks forward to more beneficial partnerships in 2023 that will help make South Africa good for business, and business good for South Africa.

In the first six months of 2022 an average of 1,143 kidnappings a month were reported to the police; this is double the monthly average of the 2021 period.

According to the crime stats, from 1 July 2022 to 20 September 2022, there were 6 149 hijackings.

The recent crime stats show that housebreak-ins are the most common crime experienced by South African residents.

The GBV situation in the country has reached boiling point and all South Africans together with NGOs, the police and government need to work together to fight against this scourge.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

There hasn’t been much focus on regaining our investment grade rating but its importance cannot be overemphasised.

The large geographical footprint of the private partners enables countrywide collection of real-time incident data.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We are in the grip of an epidemic with large industries from mining to construction being targeted by extortion rackets.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We’ve now run out of options to fix the short-term problem of load shedding.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The strength of our financial sector is something to be nurtured and we must keep adding to its resilience where we can.

What ideas is labour bringing to the table to improve the national fiscal outlook?

By Busisiwe Mavuso

All the structural reforms aimed at improving our economic growth prospects will be undermined if the rule of law does not prevail.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The world is looking to SA to provide a blueprint to combat entrenched corruption.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Last week BLSA hosted the team from the International Monetary Fund responsible for the Financial Sector Assessment Programme it has undertaken on South Africa over the last few years.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

It’s imperative for SA to get the “just” part of the just energy transition right.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Organised crime is entrenched in South Africa but the “construction mafia” has risen to prominence recently

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Transition is not just about decommissioning coal power plants and switching to electric vehicles; it also must be about massively ramping up overall energy production.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

It’s almost impossible to reach higher EAF levels by increasing maintenance and trying to extend the life of coal plants because Eskom plant has deteriorated so extensively as a result of previous maintenance neglect.

By Busiswe Mavuso

The fight against corruption, it appears, is now gaining strong momentum and BLSA fully commends Batohi and her team for the progress made under extremely challenging conditions.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Last week the finalised National Framework Towards the Professionalisation of the Public Service was released, having been approved by cabinet the week before.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

SA needs accountability, which is precisely what the future anti-corruptions structures need to generate.

BLSA welcomes the 2022 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) tabled today by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana that affirms the country’s adherence to a policy of fiscal consolidation that will lead to better growth in the future.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

With its debt service costs reduced dramatically, Eskom would be able to operate more freely, particularly in implementing its strategy to help resolve the energy crisis.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

It’s important to remember that whatever is broken can be fixed and global investors need to be assured that we’re working on creating a desirable investment environment.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Transnet needs to be transformed into a financially self-sustaining entity or it will keep burdening the fiscus with more and more debt.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The FATF published a report a year ago highlighting SA’s deficiencies and effectively gave us until this October to get our house in order.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

If we are to avoid grey listing, or ensure we are grey listed for the shortest time possible if we cannot avoid it, we need to do a lot of work quickly.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The dismal state of our energy and transport systems are core reasons why our economy is so crippled.

Short term solutions can create unintended consequences in difficult industrial relationship situations, especially if inflation remains elevated for some time, and in a difficult economic and fiscal environment.

BLSA has today released an independent report on the prospect of South Africa being grey listed by the Financial Action Task Force. The report, by researchers Intellidex, puts the probability of grey listing at 85% come the FATF plenary in February next year. The researchers estimate that the economic impact of grey listing could be limited or severe depending on how South Africa reacts to grey listing.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We need to get things right in terms of setting up structures and processes to fight corruption.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The strike action makes Transnet’s financial position far worse. It could trigger further ratings downgrades.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

BLSA has repeatedly highlighted that the institutional architecture for infrastructure within the state is simply not fit for purpose.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Strengthening the processes to ensure ethical leadership on the boards of SOEs and private companies is just one of many measures needed that will prevent corrupt elements from attaining positions of influence.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Grey listing is largely a consequence of the collapse of commercial crime investigation and prosecution during the state capture era.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Until we stabilise our national debt, we’ll keep paying more and more just to service it.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

BLSA is fully committed to helping transform South Africa into a country where corruption is considered shameful and people are held  accountable.

By Busiswe Mavuso

Given the urgency with which we need to address the power crisis, the obvious question is what we can do to get more of the round 5 projects to close.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The funding to reduce SA’s use of coal hinges on SA producing an investment plan that would need to be agreed to by the partners.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Our economy needs a quick solution based on the least-regret option.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Even when their actions successfully lead to prosecutions, convictions and recovery of stolen assets, whistle blowers can struggle to find work and rebuild their lives.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

SA’s renewable energy market remains an attractive proposition to global investors but we’re certainly no longer considered a low-risk destination.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The Fraser report provides a useful checklist that highlights where SA is coming up short. 

By Busisiwe Mavuso

BLSA is committed to various initiatives to support government to solve the energy crisis.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

It is critical for SA to make all aspects of the investment process as smooth as possible.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Only higher levels of economic growth will sustainably provide the resources we need to address the needs of the poor without threatening our fiscal sovereignty.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The president clearly showed how his government and business are aligned on many of the key challenges that we need to jointly overcome.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The state capture-linked arrests still haven’t moved up to any senior government levels yet but the NPA hinted that these will come.

We are heartened by the AG’s ongoing, independent outputs that speak truth to power with neither fear nor favour.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Small businesses have the greatest potential to address SA’s problems of poverty and inequality.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

It would be easier to support NECOM and government if our bureaucratic and regulatory functions were working the way they are meant to.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

BLSA believes the ISA should be the centre for excellence in respect of developing bankable PPPs.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The increased allocation for infrastructure development aims to address an urgent overall need of improving the efficiency of the economy.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The state capture years put immense pressure on National Treasury and led to a period of spiralling debt and extremely poor expenditure that delivered low value for money.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Improving our debt profile will accelerate our return to investment grade ratings, which in turn will make our debt cheaper.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Eradicating red tape is an easy win; it comes at no cost to the state while its benefits are widespread and will be immediately felt.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

When government and business collaborate to address SA’s problems, the results are meaningful.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

There is no magic elixir for the economy.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The NPA is ramping up its efforts to respond to the Zondo Commission and will need specialised skills to support complex corruption cases, such as forensic accountants and data analysts. While the NPA has benefited from increases in funding to support its efforts, it will take time to recruit and train for the specialist skills it needs.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Government has brought us to this point and now there are no easy solutions.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Until we stabilise the national debt we’ll keep paying more just to service it.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Even if we get everything right, we are still at least two years away from entering a new era of stable electricity supply.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

An important aspect for government to get right is the promise of quick, efficient bureaucratic procedures.

We hope the measures announced in the president’s plan will be implemented with both urgency and purpose as well as transparency.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Tightening capital controls or preventing tax emigration are simply not viable alternatives.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We do ourselves no favours by embracing reforms that destabilise government finances and the economy.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Inflation is rising globally and a significant cost-of-living crisis is emerging  for many nations.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

SA was identified as one of 31 countries with high risks around the “erosion of social cohesion” in the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Risks report.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The one element that can accelerate the recovery of small businesses is the red tape unit in the Presidency.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

South Africa has been in the FATF’s sights since 2009 following an initial review.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Business believes this limited easing of requirements will provide the necessary energy foundations upon which all sustainable local manufacturing depends.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We need to have a plan ready by the time of COP27 in Egypt in November that provides a clear path for the country to shift its carbon intensity.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

All indications are that in October SA will be placed on the grey list by the Financial Action Task Force.

To date, 39 cases have been reported on the BACSA information-sharing site.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

According to Eskom, SA needs to create 50GW-60GW of new generation capacity by 2035.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We must diversify the sources of electricity in South Africa.

BLSA has partnered with Matla a Bana – an NGO that fights GBV and creates child-friendly reporting facilities at police stations, courts and hospitals.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The allocation of resources will be a litmus test of how seriously government is taking the Zondo report.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Publication of the full Zondo report is only the first step.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

It is a key strategic objective for BLSA to support the prosecuting authorities to succeed.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Underspending on infrastructure affects not only water supply but infrastructure for all SA’s network industries

Corruption comes at a high price to business and the economy.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Many municipalities commit a direct act of corruption when residents pay their electricity and water accounts but the officials do not pay that money over to Eskom and the water boards.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

There is nothing normal about the fact that 65% of youth aged 15-24 were unemployed in the first quarter.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Over 250 people had been prosecuted and convicted of crimes related to tampering with essential infrastructure

By Busiswe Mavuso

Comair’s demise after more than six decades of operation reflects the harshness of the competitive nature of the free market.

By Busisiwe Mavuso
The challenge is to ensure all collaborators have sufficient capacity to engage and plan for joint action

By Busisiwe Mavuso
Apart from the increased costs of international transactions, the country’s reputation would take a battering.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Quality education enabled individuals to fulfil their potential while a reliable energy supply was a prerequisite for economic growth.

By Busiswe Mavuso

BLSA looks forward to more work with the police and communities to improve SA’s fight against crime.

By Busisiwe Mavuso
Tracking the money down is important but difficult.

TAMDEV is conceptualised as giving institutional form to a collaboration between government and business.

22 On Sloane aims to assist approximately 100 entrepreneurs through the Capacity Building Programme.

Enterpriseroom is dedicated to achieving socioeconomic transformation by starting, sustaining, growing and developing small and medium-sized businesses.

A total of 364 students have completed their training and 260 have been placed in various jobs.

By Busiswe Mavuso
Thanks to rising commodity prices and the improved debt outlook SA has been popular among global investors.

By Busisiwe Mavuso
The global commodity price shock has been a dose of good luck.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We are facing a national crisis and every act designed to destabilise supply is an act of treason.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Our government is facing a tough situation, but it’s one that would be far more manageable had our economy been in a stronger position today.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

BLSA is not a single entity that can be called “business”. There is no such thing.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The sooner all these reforms are implemented and the economy is functioning efficiently, the sooner we will have an environment that is conducive for businesses of all sizes to grow.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The lack of investment in the mining sector reflects investor concerns over persistent regulatory uncertainty.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The private sector is going to be largely responsible for generating and selling electricity.

By Busi Mavuso

The more that government brings in the private sector to help tackle such problems, the quicker they will be resolved.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

SA cannot afford to suffer further delays to getting new energy on grid.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Real progress is happening and it is taking us towards a far better environment for business and the public.

By Busisiwe Mavuso
How we act in the short term is important in terms of determining the type of society we are to become.

By Busisiwe Mavuso
In his latest report, Zondo also makes it clear that it should be a crime for government officials not to do their due diligence.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The responsibility of employers is clear: they have to protect the health and safety of their employees.

By Busisiwe Mavuso
Today we have a situation where ships are spending days or weeks lying at anchor before they can be processed at our ports. This affects businesses across the port logistics supply chains who experience significant delays as well as financial losses.  

By Busi Mavuso

Putting the health of our citizens at risk and jeopardising the security of the country’s clean water supply is a serious crime.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

There were clear missteps that we have learned from. That learning must be fully absorbed into how we use the new regulations to deal with the pandemic.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

With more climate crises on the horizon, it’s time for our country to increase its investment in climate adaptation measures.

By Busi Mavuso

The overall objective is to equip every school leaver with the ability to integrate into society with skills that make them directly employable

Traditionally BLSA would not comment on foreign policy issues. But our government’s stance on the Ukraine conflict is now having serious consequences for our economy and our ability to recover from the other crises our country faces. The US and European markets are particularly important for our manufactured goods, the kind that sees far more…

By Busiswe Mavuso

Investment and employment cannot be a starting point, it must be an outcome.

By Busi Mavuso

We need to study and assess the risks to our infrastructure and ask if we are as prepared as we can be for what is coming.

By Busi Mavuso

My heart goes out to the loved ones of those who died and to those who are still searching for their missing family and friends.

The E2 initiative will continue to provide relief in the affected areas. We call on members of the public, government, civil society and businesses to lend a helping hand during these unpredictable times.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We need people like Mogajane in all of our state institutions. People who stick to their principles despite the pressures, and people who are very good at their jobs.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The message we give is one of optimism but it’s balanced – we give the good and bad news.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Until the education crisis is effectively resolved, inequality will remain entrenched.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Our economy is too weak to continue withstanding this sustained attack on its resources from corruption.

By Busi Mavuso

Unemployment is a strategic focus for BLSA and I want to build on our set of positive interventions that we can look to deliver with government.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We’re trying to transform from a radically inefficient state into a smooth-functioning one that is able to deliver services to fuel economic growth.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

The best way to convince investors that his government will deliver is to remove the blockages that are hindering progress in the numerous reforms under way.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We must not lose sight of the fact that largescale investment only happens when millions of people feel it is appropriate to put their money at risk by investing.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

We need all businesses to be able to operate at full efficiency for them to contribute to a broader economic recovery that is struggling to get going.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

A positive announcement on the Nersa approvals process before the investment conference would be a nice surprise.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Instead of the private sector announcing projects, let government announce regulatory changes that advance the case for investment.

By Busisiwe Mavuso

When important economic and social services collapse, it causes serious problems for society.

By Busi Mavuso

Politicians will choose whichever monetary policy will get them re-elected, but independent central banks must stick to their mandates.

By Busi Mavuso

Michael was a believer that South Africa benefits when business and government work well together.

Mr Michael Spicer was a well-respected, and formidable businessman and leader.

By Busi Mavuso

Had the auction been conducted in 2010 when originally scheduled, consumers would have been enjoying lower data costs for the past decade at least.

By Busi Mavuso

A national energy trading market will de-risk investments and spur more self-generation plants.

By Busi Mavuso

The process of moving forward from the state capture era must involve a full reckoning for those businesses implicated.

By Busi Mavuso

Government expenditure needs to be directed towards priority areas for economic growth.

By Busi Mavuso

It’s time for the government and the private sector to not only work more closely together, but to re-establish trust and confidence in each other.

By Busi Mavuso

For once I feel like business and government are not pulling in opposite directions.

By Busi Mavuso

Treasury must take on the task of ensuring the greatest value for money in terms of delivering on overall policy objectives.

By BLSA Admin

The minister’s assurance that the historically rapid increases in the public sector wage bill will be curtailed is to be applauded.

By Busi Mavuso

We need taxes to be allocated based on necessity and targeted in areas that will have maximum impact.

By Busi Mavuso

Corruption comes at a high price to business and the economy.

By Busi Mavuso

Business was hoping a greater sense of urgency and a stronger commitment to accelerating the energy market reforms and the infrastructure rollout.

By Busi Mavuso

Business is an important constituent and provides livelihoods to millions of our citizens. We understand that business depends deeply on a state that can function optimally.

By Busi Mavuso

Business was hoping for a greater sense of urgency and stronger commitment to accelerating both the reform agenda and infrastructure rollout.

By Busi Mavuso

Excluding foreign nationals from certain jobs would amount to discrimination and clearly be unconstitutional.

By Busi Mavuso

Despite the Risk Mitigation IPP Procurement Programme running behind schedule, it has been delayed yet again

By Busi Mavuso

I am deeply concerned that the failure of the government to relax workplace restrictions in line with the relaxations in other spheres of our lives, reflects that the economy simply isn’t paid due attention.

By Busi Mavuso

The primary goal of our economic policy still needs to be driven by job-creating economic growth.

By Busi Mavuso

Independently selecting SOE executives as well as the recommendations from the first report will help to steer South Africa on the right path in future.

By Busi Mavuso

We need to alleviate the suffering of the poor, not add to their number.

By Busi Mavuso

We should be asking the real question: why is it that businesses are not investing, growing and employing more people?

By Busisiwe Mavuso

Developing a strong base of local suppliers who are competitive and expanding the small business sector would strengthen the foundation of our economy while creating jobs.

By Busi Mavuso

Personal power plays of politicians cannot become a distraction from the acceleration of SA’s economic recovery agenda.

By Busi Mavuso

South Africa does not have the luxury of fiscal room to continue to absorb economic losses. We need economic growth to recover as fast as possible.

By Busi Mavuso

We need to focus on sustainable and real ways to improve the system for the poor.

BLSA has noted the decision of consulting firm Bain to withdraw its membership.

By Busi Mavuso

South Africans should expect a new wave of personal attacks and smear campaigns on defenders of democracy in our judiciary, National Treasury, the Reserve Bank and other key institutions.

By Busi Mavuso

In the two and a half years after Bain’s suspension, BLSA had several engagements with Bain in which we set out our views on what the company had to do to regain the trust of BLSA. 

By Busi Mavuso

Each reform and each infrastructure project that is actually rolled out will contribute in their own ways to boosting economic growth, and that is the only way to reduce unemployment.

By Busi Mavuso

BLSA fully supports the “overarching” recommendation in Judge Raymond Zondo’s report that a national charter against corruption be adopted by government, the business sector and relevant stakeholders.

By Busi Mavuso

We at BLSA have studied the Zondo Commission report and in particular the role of business in the recommendations that the Commission has made. We welcome these and look forward to working with social partners to support the necessary legislative changes, particularly where they affect business.

“Whether Mavuso is encouraging the adoption of vaccine passports, talking about the importance of institutional integrity, suggesting a review of South Africa’s labour legislation, or banging a drum for structural reform, her views are informed, robust and always on point,” the Daily Maverick says.

By Busi Mavuso

The country desperately needs positive movements as we head into the holiday season with the fourth wave of Covid infections rising alarmingly quickly and tourism and hospitality businesses already hard hit by the international travel bans.

The aim of this programme is to provide relief to the constrained electricity system in as short a time as possible. Eskom land is generally close to the necessary grid infrastructure and has several regulatory approvals in place to ensure the time to begin development will be far quicker than other land.

President Cyril Ramaphosa got the year off to a good start in setting the right tone in his state of the nation address where he presented his four overriding priorities: defeat Covid; accelerate the economic recovery; accelerate economic reforms to drive inclusive growth; and fight corruption.

By Busi Mavuso

There’s much that government needs to do to accelerate everything, ranging from easing red tape wherever it can (which is everywhere) to expediting the bid windows for the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme.

By Busi Mavuso

Make no mistake, this year has been the worst we’ve had in terms of energy availability. By November we had faced over 1,000 hours of load shedding for the first time since the crisis began.

By Busi Mavuso

BLSA supports the widespread calls for the travel bans to be immediately lifted to avert any further damage being done. But the bans have already had devastating consequences on our tourism industry as we head into the festive season

By Busi Mavuso

There is something seriously wrong in our policy environment and the labour market that is making South Africa unattractive to the long-term investment required for economic growth and job creation.

By Busi Mavuso

I would like to see every business in South Africa doing everything possible to encourage employees and the wider public to get vaccinated. This is in our own interest as business – we will never be able to confidently get past this pandemic if we do not get vaccination rates up across the whole country.

By Busi Mavuso

Thankfully, government didn’t hit the panic button in response to the sudden outbreak of the Omicron variant and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment on Sunday to charting a course for mandatory vaccinations where appropriate is an important step in our war against the virus.

South Africa experiences a sharp increase in crime during the festive season. This is attributed to the remarkable increase of cash volumes which leads to armed robberies, burglaries and CIT heists.

By Busi Mavuso

Clearly the fight against this pandemic is far from over. We need to fight it on the health front, but we also need to fight the economic consequences it inflicts.

By Busi Mavuso

We are in an emergency situation and everything possible needs to be done to secure our energy supply fast. The longer we live with insufficient supply, the smaller our economy will be, and the fewer the jobs and tax revenue that can be generated.

By Busi Mavuso

Among our many problems, we face a water and sanitation crisis with failing wastewater treatment and subsequent pollution of the country’s water resources a particular problem, prompting the SA Human Rights Commission to declare it a national disaster.

By Busi Mavuso
The effects of surging global inflation arrived on our shores with a major jolt through the R1.21/litre hike in the petrol price early this month, taking it to a record high. Combined with the jarring 15% hike in electricity prices this year, consumers are being hit hard.  

By Busi Mavuso

The medium-term budget policy statement two weeks ago showed more evidence that debt is being brought under control and that Treasury is keeping a firm hand on spending. This is all the more important because the calls for Treasury to open the taps, particularly on welfare spending, have been loud and incessant.

By Busi Mavuso

The feasibility of reforming the bid window process should be explored, with renewable energy to be procured on an ongoing basis as the situation demands.

By Busi Mavuso

On behalf of Business Leadership SA, I congratulate finance minister Godongwana for delivering a credible and disciplined first #MTBPS2021 in parliament.

BLSA is extremely concerned about the impact of load shedding on the economy. It has affected business operations across the country, as well as ordinary citizens, including students sitting for their final exams.

By Busi Mavuso

BLSA will be working with its members to assess progress by business in using the regulatory space now available to invest in new generation.

By Busi Mavuso

We congratulate Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana for his first MTBPS in parliament. It has not been the easiest moment for the minister to take on the reigns.

By Busi Mavuso

Finance minister Enoch Godongwana needs to stick with predecessor’s plan to ‘close the hippo’s jaws’.

By Busi Mavuso

Securing an eye-catching finance agreement to aid our green energy transition was a job well done by the SA team at COP26 in Glasgow.

By Busi Mavuso

Residents and businesses are quite entitled to expect their municipalities to deliver basic essentials such as a reliable water and electricity supply, efficient refuse removal and sewage collection and disposal.

By Busi Mavuso

If we are going to deliver on targets such as net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we have to pull together as a country.

By Busi Mavuso

Countries that are still trying to develop their economies must now stop using the fuel resources that drove the development of rich nations – and we don’t have a choice.

By Busi Mavuso

Millions of fellow citizens have peacefully gone to the polls to vote in the local government elections. This is testament to the strength of our democracy that our people ensure they use their votes.

By Busi Mavuso

The pressure from international trade partners on SA’s business sector and government to accelerate the transition to a green economy has escalated dramatically in the past few years. The essence of their message is: green up or lose our business.

By Busi Mavuso

Emergency spectrum was an important and effective weapon in our fight against the effects of lockdown restrictions on our economy. ICASA’s decision to withdraw it is confounding.

By Busi Mavuso

Every political and business leader will be arriving to get things done in Glasgow for the COP26 next week. I am confident those who will be representing us, from both business and government.

By Busi Mavuso

The IMF’s medium-term forecasts have alarming implications for our unemployment situation.

By Busi Mavuso

The remuneration of CEOs and senior executives is a sensitive topic in SA given high levels of income inequality – but it’s an important issue globally.

By Busi Mavuso

We have 27% of our adult population fully vaccinated including 53% of those over 60, but need to reach 60%-70% to minimise the impact of the virus.

By Busi Mavuso

The Draft Companies Amendment Bill approved by cabinet last month, adds significant administrative burdens on companies while diminishing SA’s attractiveness as a place to do business.

By Busi Mavuso

BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso says that although some degree of red tape imposed on businesses is necessary to protect consumers and ensure orderly commercial activity – but SA can do better.

By Busi Mavuso

The decision by the UK to remove SA from its red list of countries was late but welcome. The change will now also allow more normal business travel to resume with one of our biggest trading partners.

CEOs of the world’s largest companies are increasingly optimistic about the outlook for their businesses, KPMG South Africa’s 2021 CEO Outlook survey found.

By Busi Mavuso

“We have got to make it really easy to do business.” With that underlying message, Minister Godongwana hit all the right notes in his address to the Sunday Times Investment Summit last week.

By Busi Mavuso

A big take away from last week’s meeting between business representatives and President Cyril Ramaphosa was that fixing the workings of the economy must be a joint endeavour.

By Busi mavuso

The news of the surplus is positive and more importantly, it helps regain some credibility in markets for a Treasury that has taken a knock in recent years.

By Busi Mavuso

Inflationary pressures, if sustained, suggest that we should focus on fiscal and policy reform to ensure that our economic rebound from last year’s catastrophic collapse continues.

By Busi Mavuso

COP26 is a chance for President Cyril Ramaphosa to put SA back on the global map as a green investment destination and is also a chance to kickstart his much-vaunted infrastructure plans.

By Busi Mavuso

Businesses must now worry about the prospect of a major cut in bandwidth for those who connect through cell-phone networks, with ICASA pressing ahead to terminate access to emergency spectrum at end-November.

By Busi Mavuso

One of the key structural reforms SA desperately needs is far greater access to spectrum. Economic growth is being choked by a lack of data bandwidth at reasonable prices.

By Busi Mavuso

I was disappointed by the announcement by UK authorities on Friday that SA would remain on its “red list” of countries. This decision is bad for the two countries’ economic ties.

By Busi Mavuso

We believe it’s time to consider an introduction of vaccine passports because we need to keep as much of the economy as open as possible.

Business Leadership SA is campaigning for the removal of UK travel restrictions that threaten to bring the second summer of misery to SA tourism. They are enlisting some of the world’s best-known companies to assist. Before the pandemic, SA attracted about 450,000 UK travellers a year.

As Britain looks to develop new trading relationships around the world, BLSA urges UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reassess the restrictions placed on SA.

By Busi Mavuso

Last week, we got bits of economic data reflecting the effects of the July unrest. The RMB Business Confidence Index slumped back into negative territory (below 50 points) in Q3, falling seven points to 43.

By Busi Mavuso

Our jobs market remains one of the worst in the world, with unemployment in Q2 reaching 34.4%, the highest of 80 industrialised nations tracked by Bloomberg.

By Busi Mavuso

Following the July unrest, many business leaders want to rebuild, but they cannot do it without a sense that government and the rest of the country has their back.

By Busi Mavuso

There’s no way of attaining healthier growth rates without dealing with the elephant in the room – our lack of electricity capacity to meet the demands of this economy. Only that way can we become richer as a nation.

By Busi Mavuso

The current Level 3 runs to 15 October – that is too long to wait. A shift to level 2 should happen sooner.

By Busi Mavuso

I want to add my welcome to the incoming president Bonang Mohale and deputy president Adrian Gore, who are taking up the leadership of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) at this crucial point.

By Busi Mavuso

We need to review labour regulations that have protected the rights of employees but have also made it more expensive and harder for small businesses to hire new workers.

By Busi Mavuso

I feel positive that we are moving in the right direction, both on the vaccine programme and the economic policy changes needed.

By Busi Mavuso

If we thought we had a jobs crisis on our hands before this pandemic, we now we have something much, much larger than we had ever imagined.

Unemployment data reflects a structural crisis and underperforming economy that only swift and decisive action by all social partners can address.

By Busi Mavuso

The green paper on a new social security reform programme would be debilitating on workers as they would have to contribute between 8% and 12% of their earnings.

By Busi Mavuso

A successful vaccination programme is critical to being able to rebuild the economy to be able to support all South Africans.

By Busi Mavuso

Our only escape from the unemployment crisis and underperforming economy is through reform.

By Busi Mavuso

Putting the right people in the right jobs is critical for success. This is tougher in politics, where success is much harder to define, than for businesses.

By Busi Mavuso

Business confidence is essential, especially for the infrastructure plans that look to unlock 800,000 job opportunities in the medium term.

By Busi Mavuso

Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act has the potential to spur major new investment in electricity generation and make a major contribution to stabilising electricity supply.

By Busi Mavuso

By Busi Mavuso

We should consider the real impact of the protests and the various lockdown measures on women, especially black women in the country.

By Busi Mavuso

I wish Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana all the best in his new role. He is taking on one of the most difficult jobs in the country. It is central to business confidence.

By Busi Mavuso

I think that the idea to allow withdrawals from their pension comes with some dire consequences if one considers that only 6% of South Africans retire with enough savingS.

By Busi Mavuso

I hope that government’s new-found affinity for pragmatism kicks in again and it finds ways to accelerate structural reforms.

By Busi Mavuso

As BLSA, we’ve asked the state to step in and aid the rebuild effort. National Treasury’s R39bn package to provide relief to businesses and the poor should be welcomed.

By Busi Mavuso

I’ve been encouraged to hear some of SA’s businesses, including retailers, speaking of restocking and in some cases rebuilding stores in the aftermath of the protests that quickly spilled into rampant criminality.

By Busi Mavuso

Without an effective national vaccination programme, there’s certainly no end to this pandemic nor a start to a sustainable economic recovery.

By Busi Mavuso

The resumption of alcohol sales is extremely important for an industry that has been brought to its knees by the ban, as well as the rest of the supply chain from bottlers to restaurants.

By Busi Mavuso

It’s important that the South African government follow through on plans that are going to be developed following the recent unrest to ensure investment in SA continues.

By Busi Mavuso

The implications for rural and township economies, where the bulk of the damage was incurred due to recent unrest, looting and destruction to property, will be far reaching.

By Busi Mavuso

The cost of the economic carnage in KZN and Gauteng will be carried by the most vulnerable segments of South African society.

By Busi Mavuso

The president’s speech on Friday evening, flanked by the heads of the police and army, was the right message to convey to the public.

By Busi Mavuso

The rule of law took precedence over political prudence. No-one can display the contempt of court that Zuma did without expecting consequences.

By Busi Mavuso

Business confidence has had a shot in the arm from several directions at once. The arrest Jacob Zuma and improvements in vaccination rates are some of the reasons why.

By Busi Mavuso

Former President Jacob Zuma’s arrest shows that no individual, no matter how powerful, is above the laws we have created to serve our democracy.

By Busi Mavuso

Eskom’s debt is now less than R400bn. This is still a staggering number but at least it is beginning to reduce.

By Busi Mavuso

The state should consider providing further social support for the vast majority of South Africans who aren’t as shielded from the economic strain caused by these unavoidable lockdowns.

By Busi Mavuso

The business sector is a national asset. Government needs to work with it to ensure it is not unnecessarily damaged.

By Busi Mavuso

It is unnecessary to shake the foundations of the country by changing Section 25 of the constitution.

By Busi Mavuso

I agree with the president that the measures taken reflect strong efforts to minimise the impact on the economy, with most businesses able to continue at full capacity.

By Busi Mavuso

The corporatisation of the Transnet National Ports Authority by President Cyril Ramaphosa is yet another positive step in restructuring our SOEs.

By Busi Mavuso

I believe selling a majority stake in SAA is just one step, but it promises a much-needed pragmatic approach to the problems that SOEs continue to pose.

By Busi Mavuso

President Cyril Ramaphosa needs to keep investment drive while striking tough balancing act in pandemic response.

By Busi Mavuso

Last week South African business lost one of its giants. Jabu Mabuza helped business find its voice at the height of state capture.

It is with deep sadness and sorrow that BLSA learnt of the passing of its former Chairperson, Dr Jabu Mabuza. He passed away earlier this evening following complications due to Covid-19.

By Busi Mavuso

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration took its most significant steps so far in its structural reform agenda in liberating the energy sector and selling 51% of SAA.

By Busi Mavuso

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s move on the licence exemption for electricity generation is highly positive.

By Busi Mavuso
Last week’s announcements of the increase in the electricity generating licensing threshold and the sale of a majority stake in SAA provide a much-needed boost to economy,

Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) welcomes yesterday’s announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that the licensing exemption threshold for own generation under schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, (ERA) will be lifted to 100MW. The own generation threshold was higher than business had hoped for and means that firms such as mines and large industrial…

Business Leadership SA has hailed efforts by the Eyes and Ears initiative and Memeza crime-fighting project to tackle crime at non-fee-paying schools.

By Busi Mavuso

Q1 GDP figures provide further evidence of the economy’s rebound from the devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic that resulted in our worst economic performance in a century.

Today’s economic growth figures show that the economy is struggling to recover. While there were some areas that grew, the overall picture shows that much of the economy remains weak.

By Busi Mavuso

Next week we will mark 45 years since the June 1976 Soweto protests that would prove to be one of the most important dates in our struggle against apartheid. However, as we head towards Youth Day on 16 June, the official unemployment rate in the 15-34 age bracket sits at 46,3%.

By Busi Mavuso

One area the economic reconstruction and recovery plan is clear on is energy security. As our economy reels from more devastating load-shedding, the urgency of this is ever more apparent.

By Busi Mavuso

We need close collaboration with the state to ensure land reform is implemented in a way that doesn’t threaten food security, the agriculture sector and property security.

By Busi Mavuso

South Africa’s “beachhead” advantage of a gateway to Africa, long trumpeted, may be waning.

By Busi Mavuso

The Expropriation Bill is perhaps the most consequential of the legislation and amendments being considered.

By Busi
S&P Global Ratings’ decision to leave SA’s rating unchanged is a welcome relief

By Busi Mavuso
As business we welcome government’s push to boost localisation.

By Busi Mavuso
South Africa’s economy needs structural reforms if we are to grow but progress remains frustratingly slow.

By Busi Mavuso
Growing evidence that a third wave of Covid infections is imminent has dampened the optimism of SA entering the second phase of its vaccination rollout this week.

By Busi Mavuso
Eskom’s problems are a result of a cocktail of factors.

By BLSA
Today Business Leadership South Africa and Business Unity South Africa jointly launched a localisation report that seeks to contribute to policy on promoting local manufacturing in SA.

Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) in conjunction with Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) have launched an important research report into localisation policy. This timely report was compiled by local consulting firm Intellidex and aims to contribute to policy on promoting local manufacturing in South Africa.

By Busi Mavuso
Concerns grow over a possible third wave.

BLSA notes with concern that the increase in Covid-related hospitalisations and positive tests in the Free State and Gauteng

By Busi Mavuso
Eskom’s restructuring is the only way to secure a stable and secure energy supply and put an end to 13 years of load-shedding.

By Busi Mavuso
Power shortages have been a major impediment to SA’s economic growth.

By Busi Mavuso
Energy policy reform is key to our economic recovery.

By BLSA
Businesses across the country have responded with vigour and urgency to help address the economic impact of the Coronavirus. 

BLSA members have shown commitment by providing funding into health infrastructure, relief funds, PPE, technology, education and awareness campaigns in communities and workplaces.

By BLSA
A shared vision of an economically-sound South Africa post COVID-19 continues to be an inspiration to all BLSA members.

By Busi Mavuso
The procurement of additional and clean forms of power remains a priority as Eskom struggles to meet South Africa’s electricity demand.

By BLSA
We say thank you to businesses that champion the health and safety of our communities.

By Busi Mavuso
It’s hard to quantify the economic cost of 15 years of energy insecurity in this country, writes @BusiMavuso2 in her weekly newsletter.

By BLSA
We say thank you essential workers and to businesses that champion the health and safety of our communities.

By Busi Mavuso

Judge Raymond Zondo will deliver a report at the end of the state capture commission that will, hopefully, be the definitive account of the traumatic decade of corruption our country was made to endure.

By Busi Mavuso

The story of our inflation rate speaks to more than just an economic data point: it highlights the importance of the independence of our institutions.

By Busi Mavuso
When Covid-19 landed on our shores it was inevitable that the public sector healthcare infrastructure would be stretched beyond its capacity.

By BLSA
Our members continued to impart knowledge, and share tools to better equip our communities and empower government, businesses and civil society during the pandemic.

By Busi Mavuso
With many office workers still being encouraged to work from home, businesses are fast adapting to a more digital world.

By Busi Mavuso
SA’s post-Apartheid readmission into the international trading system improved our overall competitiveness. Our manufacturing sector, however, has struggled.

By BLSA
Business Leadership South Africa members continued to impart knowledge, and share tools to better equip our communities and empower government, businesses and civil society during the pandemic.

By BLSA
Criminals cast fear into the hearts of South Africans from all walks of life.

By BLSA
BLSA members have pledged billons of rands towards debt relief, government and NGOs initiatives to mininise the impact of the pandemic in communities.

By Busi Mavuso
Covid-19 has shifted our way of life in ways that no one could have imagined.

Executives and board members pledged 30% of their income towards debt relief for small businesses and to ease financial disruptions during the pandemic.

By Busi Mavuso
We can only brace ourselves with the threat of a third wave of infections on the horizon.

By Busi Mavuso and Stuart Theobald
SA is failing in its mission of investing in infrastructure to boost economic activity and access to services.

By Busi Mavuso
With a budget of R1.8-trillion and over 2-million employees, running a government is no easy task.

BLSA members have, for many years, embraced technology to drive innovation and find better ways to do business while changing our social landscape.

By Busi Mavuso
An extremely tough road lies ahead for our struggling economy in its quest to achieve strong, sustainable growth.

Technology continues to change and improve our lives in immeasurable ways.

By Busi Mavuso
To boost consumer confidence levels, we must prevent mismanagement of public funds.

By Busi Mavuso
Last week’s announcement that SARS has surpassed its expected revenue target is good news for the economy.

Over R6.5 million was ploughed into various NGOs across the country to provide food parcels to communities, schools and orphanages.

By Busi Mavuso
This week’s announcement that Johnson & Johnson will produce 30-million vaccines is an injection of hope for South Africans.

The effects of the Coronavirus have been felt far beyond hospital beds and isolation centres.

By Busi Mavuso
The infrastructure-led boom in the South African economy prompted by World Cup preparation has unfortunately fizzled out.

By Busi Mavuso
BLSA on Friday released a key report on infrastructure in SA, it identifies blockages and proposes solutions that will enable successful implementation of this central pillar of our economic recovery.

Business Leadership South Africa today launched a report on solutions to boosting infrastructure investment to drive the economic recovery.

By Busi Mavuso
The latest load-shedding has been an unpleasant reminder that power cuts will likely be part of our lives as we head into winter months.

By Busi Mavuso
Taking over the political oversight of ailing SOEs such as Eskom was never going to be easy for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration.

By Busi Mavuso
The announcement of preferred bidders for the independent power producer programme is a positive move to help alleviate SA’s electricity supply constraints.

By Busi Mavuso
The delay in the auction of the long-awaited high-demand spectrum has dealt a severe blow to South Africa’s pursuit of structural reforms.

By Busi Mavuso
The Zondo commission has laid bare the colossal task facing Cabinet to turn around the fortunes of many of our ailing SOEs.

By Busi Mavuso
Not too long ago our economy was growing at over 5% a year and any dip below that was considered a national failure.

By Busi Mavuso
Despite the doom and gloom of the second wave early this year, it is encouraging to that SA’s economy has recovered better than expected.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are the most efficient mechanism to deliver SA‘s infrastructure goals.

By Busi Mavuso
To ensure that the government delivers on its goal to unlock long-term and sustainable growth, it must make sure that its ministers and other senior leaders are held accountable.

By Busi Mavuso
There appears to be light at the end of the tunnel with government showing its serious intent to deliver on reforms and build a capable state.

By Busi Mavuso
There is a pressing need for South Africa to build a capable state to fully recover from the effects of Covid-19 and recast the economy to develop inclusive growth.

By Busi Mavuso
The persistently high unemployment level in this country has been our most difficult challenge to overcome.

By Busi Mavuso
The move to level 1 will help more South Africans get back to work and will give a boost to the economic recovery.

By Busi Mavuso
What a “positive” difference a few months can make in the life and finances of a country considering that just last year Finance Minister Tito Mboweni sounded alarm bells.

By BLSA
Business Leadership welcomes Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s budget which showed the fruits of better-than-expected economic recovery and tax collection over the past several months.

By Busi Mavuso
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is unlikely to increase taxes as higher growth from the bullish commodity markets boosts state coffers.

By Busi Mavuso
The Budget this week is going to be a litmus test for government to assure South Africans that it is on top of its finances.

By Busi Mavuso
There is no ‘conspiracy’ against SA; the poor investment sentiment is a result of poor policymaking and policy uncertainty.

By Busi Mavuso
Despite the likelihood of third wave, we can ill afford the full set of crippling lockdown measures that were introduced in the first and second waves.

By Busi Mavuso
There were many positives in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state-of-the-nation speech last week.

 
BLSA agrees with President Cyril Ramaphosa on his four overriding priorities: defeat Covid; accelerate the economic recovery; accelerate economic reform to drive inclusive growth; and fight corruption. A determined focus on those priorities will help to address an array of the country’s problems.

By Busi Mavuso
President Cyril Ramaphosa faces a mammoth task of leading the charge to tackle the pandemic, with a death toll nearing 50,000, when he delivers his Sona speech.

By Busi Mavuso
It would not be an understatement to say this year’s state of the nation (Sona) will be an extraordinary address by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

By Busi Mavuso
The state of the nation address is an opportunity for President Cyril Ramaphosa to set policy objectives and provide clarity on what the rest of the year is going to consist of.

By BLSA
The illicit trade webinar organised by BLSA heard that the revenue that SA loses every year to illicit traders, who don’t pay taxes and excise duties, would make a significant difference to the country’s economic wellbeing.

By Busi Mavuso
The successful rollout of vaccines to health workers will provide the country with an opportunity to redirect its efforts to put the economy back on a recovery trajectory.

By Busi Mavuso
In his previous state of the nation addresses. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s main focus has been to boost confidence by rebuilding an ailing economy and governance in key institutions that were at the centre of corruption over the past decade.

By Busi Mavuso
At the start of Covid-19, President Cyril Ramaphosa received praise in the country and abroad for his swift action in dealing with the pandemic.

The BLSA Webinar on Illicit trade seeks to achieve exactly this outcome to contribute towards fast-tracking South Africa’s economic recovery.

By Busi Mavuso
With the resurgence in Covid-19 cases and deaths over the festive season, it was understandable that the country had to reintroduce tougher restrictions into the economy to curb its spread.

By Busi Mavuso
The government needs to honour its commitment to structural reforms so as to realise its goal of achieving improved growth rates

By Busi Mavuso
A faster growth rate depends on implementing prudent macroeconomic policies and structural reforms.

By Busi Mavuso
The dramatic rise in Covid-19 cases and fatalities over the past month has forced us to devote all our time and energy on ensuring that our stressed and limited public and private health sectors don’t collapse.

By Busi Mavuso
The latest rounds of loadshedding could not come at a worse time as we fret over the surge in Covid-19 cases that already have a significant impact on our economic recovery hopes.

By Busi Mavuso
The first two bans cost the alcohol industry 165,000 jobs, with the expectation that the third ban might have a similar impact and add more unemployment woes.

By Busi Mavuso
President Ramaphosa gave the country a glimmer of hope when he laid out plans for the Covid-19 vaccination programme, assuring that 20-million doses had been secured.

By Busi
We start 2021 with the second wave of the pandemic in full swing. The numbers and death rates continue to rise as we face a new and more infectious strain.

By Busi Mavuso
It is disappointing that the government has not ordered any vaccine despite Aspen Pharmacare having secured a contract to produce 300-million doses

Business welcomes Monday’s decision by the Labour Appeal Court that government is within its rights not to implement salary increases for this year. This will help government avert a fiscal crisis.

The spirit of working together is going to be critical in 2021. We have to rebuild the economy to be able to give every South African the opportunity to meet their full potential. BLSA is ready to play its part in that joint effort.

By Busi Mavuso
To say this year has been tumultuous is an understatement. We had to deal with the pandemic, the downgrading of our credit rating and the Zondo Commission.

By Fouche Burgers

Sadly, crime is a worrying, almost ever-present threat in South Africa.

By Busi Mavuso
Sadly, crime is a worrying, almost ever-present threat in South Africa – and the lack of trust in SAPS has led to an increase in the number of private security companies being utilised by those who are able to afford it

By Busi Mavuso
Never in a million years anyone would have anticipated that 2020 would be shaped by an outbreak from Wuhan City in Hubei Province, China.

By Busi Mavuso

The president showed the right balance in his nuanced approached to imposing more stringent local measures.

By Busi Mavuso

Despite being fiscally constrained, it will be a hard task for SA to persuade public sector workers to agree to a wage cut.

By Busi Mavuso

As this horrible year winds down to its close, we had better get our priorities right if we are to emerge from this economic crisis.

By Busi Mavuso

The surge of Covid-19 cases, particularly in the Eastern Cape, is a stark reminder that the pandemic remains extremely dangerous.

By BLSA

Big businesses should use their influence to guide SMMEs and open networks for them to help them grow and so drive economic growth.

By Busi Mavuso

There was no reprieve for SA as our credit ratings were pushed deeper in “junk” status, with ratings agencies implying a lack of faith in our recovery efforts post the pandemic.

By Busi Mavuso

The SABC crisis is evidence of how a culture that encourages a lack of good governance, accountability and sustainability can eventually have on the many stakeholders in a company

By Busi Mavuso
The downgrading of South Africa by two ratings agencies on Friday reinforces the fiscal crisis we are facing

Technology has been key in helping companies adapt to the “new normal” of doing business – and maintaining economic growth!

The Covid-19 crises may have crippled our economy, but the setbacks create opportunities for solutions.

By Busi Mavuso

Statistics SA’s third quarter report card will not tell the full story of just how small businesses across the country are still struggling to keep the lights on.

Education builds the foundation of an economy. High-quality education allows our nation’s citizens to contribute more effectively to our economy.

Lockdown may have put the brakes on everything, but BLSA members have kept the wheels moving by providing support where it’s needed most.

By Busi Mavuso

Paying SMEs on time is a small step that big businesses and government can take that will make a big difference.

The biggest crises to come out of COVID-19 has been the effects of lockdown on our nation’s most vulnerable communities.

By Busi Mavuso

The opening of borders will give the hospitality and tourism industry a much-needed recovery boost.

By Busi Mavuso

Given revenue pressures, the state, like every household, is going to have to look to reduce its expenses.

By BLSA

BUSA report on the public sector wage bill, researched by Intellidex, was released at a media conference yesterday.

By Busi Mavuso

President Cyril Ramaphosa should use the investment conference to ram home impending changes in policy and show government’s commitment to providing additional power.

By Busi Mavuso

Watch for important research on the public sector wage bill being released today. It makes a detailed contribution to the debate.

By Busi Mavuso
.
It’s imperative that we work together to unlock infrastructure opportunities that will stimulate the economy

The COVID-19 crises has amplified the importance of health and safety in organisations.

By Busi Mavuso

Fiscal reform is no longer avoidable but is essential for any economic recovery as it will boost confidence.

By Busi Mavuso

The economic recovery plan and MTBPS are, in effect, business plans for the country. What matters now is execution.

By Busi Mavuso

If there is a serious need for further restrictions, then we must act guided by evidence on the type of lockdown we need.

By BLSA

Today’s MTBPS speech carried far more significance given the crisis we are in.

In mapping out South Africa’s recovery, much of the focus is on economic analysis but too little is on “unproductive behaviour” that needs to be fixed, Miriam Altman, director of Altman Advisory, told a BLSA special council meeting on Thursday.

By Busi Mavuso
SA’s resolve for fiscal reform will be tested in the #MTBPS as we face up to the unresolved question of public sector wages.

By Busi Mavuso

It’s a big week for the country. The MTBPS has the potential to support a recovery in business sentiment, which will boost our recovery prospects.

By Tebele Luthuli
The issue of land reform needs to be tackled within the full ambit of the law.

By BLSA

Business backs a tough medium-term budget.

By Busi Mavuso

There is one overarching goal for Finance Minister Tito Mboweni: to rebuild confidence in the economy.

By Busi Mavuso

The focus on tourism in the economic plan is vital.

By Busi Mavuso

Old ideas of waiting for government to create jobs simply won’t do anymore. We need to change the structure of the economy to solve the jobs crisis.

By Busi Mavuso

The president’s plan reflects many of the issues that BLSA has repeatedly highlighted that are constraining growth. These have now been made priorities.

By Busi Mavuso

The economic recovery plan does a good job of setting out the issues that are constraining the economy, from lack of infrastructure to visa rules. This is good progress.

There are lots of positive elements in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s economic recovery plan. However, it must be seen as more as a starting point.

By Busi Mavuso

We will be watching the president’s economic recovery plan closely as it could set us on a higher growth trajectory if it encompasses structural reforms.

By Busi Mavuso
Business is an important player in the social fabric of the country and is as invested as the state, labour and civil society in creating an enabling environment for growth.

By Busi Mavuso

The medium-term budget policy statement is the first real test of the credibility of government’s commitment to fix our national finances.

By Busi Mavuso

We need a sense of urgency in the implementation of the recovery plan.

By Busi Mavuso

Arrests of those associated with state capture is an initial, but significant, milestone in rebuilding faith in SA and its economy,

By Tebele Luthuli
The land issue in South Africa has not grown less important despite the seeming lack of focus on it at the moment.

By Tebele Luthuli

Coverage and public discourse focus mostly on PPE tender corruption but little has been said about new waves of organised crime during lockdown.

By Busi Mavuso

SA lost 2.2-million jobs in the Covid-hit second quarter and big companies have warned of thousands of retrenchments to come. It’s time to talk about labour legislation.

By Busi Mavuso

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s medium-term budget speech is another seminal moment for South Africa.

By Busi Mavuso

Much has improved since Cyril Ramaphosa became president but we haven’t quite changed direction yet.

By Busi Mavuso

With the new IPP bid window announced, we’re finally at the cusp of a real change in energy security and a potentially vibrant new economic cluster.

By Busi Mavuso

SA needs to deal with labour reform, a topic that lurks in the background but never really comes to the fore.

By Busi Mavuso

How would another capital injection into SAA fit into the Presidential State-Owned Enterprises Council’s drive to reform state-owned enterprises.

By Busi Mavuso

It was striking how much business could agree with labour and civil society groups at Nedlac on the way forward.

By Busi Mavuso

The economic recovery action plan, agreed to by labour, business and other social partners, is with the president. It’s imperative that Cabinet approves it without delay.

By Busi Mavuso

The president injected a sense of urgency into our economic revival last week, backed up by action with the timetable being set for getting more renewable energy onto the grid.

By Busi Mavuso

My confidence soared when the president showed last week that he’s willing to take responsibility and hold people accountable.

By Busi Mavuso

The country needs urgent interventions implemented from the economic recovery strategy to address the jobs crisis we’ve long faced, which has been accelerated by a Covid-19 crisis.

By Busi Mavuso

Will today’s Q2 GDP figures prove to be sobering for policymakers? We hope it makes them realise how urgently we need structural reforms.

By Busi Mavuso

Why is the sense of urgency that government displayed at the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak missing from other areas?

By Busi Mavuso

As business, we will stand behind the president and support the “good fight” against corruption.

By Busi Mavuso

We are encouraged that the president is seizing the moment, taking a hardline stance against corruption, which has ruffled feathers within his party.

By Busi Mavuso

How much more onerous will future loan conditions be if SA doesn’t address its creditworthiness?

FinFind, which provides online access to finance solutions for SMMEs, is launching a comprehensive study on the impact of Covid-19 on this sector.

By Busi Mavuso

It is important that government keep the nation informed on the reasons for its decisions. This will breathe confidence into the ability of the state.

By Tebele Luthuli

We hear of so much corruption, but little gets done about it. The corrupt thrive in secrecy; transparency is their enemy.

The job of rebuilding SARS has been an immensely difficult task because of the extent of the damage done in the state capture era, SARS commissioner Edward Kieswetter told BLSA members at an online webcast on Thursday.

By Busi Mavuso

It’s only after we win the battle against corruption that recovery plans can find proper grounding.

By Busi Mavuso

Corruption damages all spheres of society, from service delivery to investment, while it also guts economic growth and increases inequality.

By Busi Mavuso

The impact of the initial ‘hard lockdown’ is going to make for some shocking reading when GDP figures are released early next month.

By Busi Mavuso

Government’s recovery strategy must actually move the needle and not be just another document.

By Busi Mavuso

This is the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes. Labour and business have presented detailed plans, but why hasn’t government?

By Busi Mavuso

Has Cyril Ramaphosa opted to win a popularity contest within the ANC rather than do the right thing for the country?

By Busi Mavuso

SA Breweries, Heineken and Consol Glass have frozen R13bn of investment. But that doesn’t begin to reflect how much investment we’re losing.

By Busi Mavuso

While Eskom’s prices continue to rise, its biggest customers are aggressively looking for alternative energy sources. What is the long-term future of the utility’s revenue model?

By Busi Mavuso.

It’s imperative to open up as much of the economy as possible without compromising Covid-19 safety protocols.

With Covid-19 infections rising sharply, it’s important that political leaders and business leaders in SA lead by example in curbing the spread.

By Busi Mavuso

Boosting confidence is critical for our economic recovery – easier said than done considering the tales of corruption around the management of the health pandemic.

By Busi Mavuso

The time for talking is done. We must now become obsessed with implementation – it’s the only thing that matters.

By Tebele Luthuli

Perhaps many South Africans have become apathetic about corruption because they never see things improving.

By Busi Mavuso

SA is being bailed out by the IMF because we can’t finance the Covid-19 battle ourselves. That’s because of our low growth over the last five years.

By Busi Mavuso

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation last week was focused on growing corruption around funds dedicated to our war against Covid-19. A sad state of affairs.

By Busi Mavuso

Scenes of police using water cannons against protesting restaurant workers in Cape Town were shocking. People have a right to protest.

By Busi Mavuso

The CEOs of SOEs have to reform them. That’s their function and they need to be backed if SOEs are going to be part of the solution to the deepening economic recession.

By Busi Mavuso

If supporting women to become financially independent is among the state’s priorities, denying women and youth the ability to earn a living due to lockdown of industries such as tourism, is the ultimate contradiction.

An IMF loan through its stand-by arrangement means SA would have to sign up to conditions. While on the surface it is presented as not being a loss of sovereignty, in reality it is.

By Busi Mavuso

The need for transparency increases dramatically especially when lockdown decisions could destroy the livelihoods of millions of citizens, as the alcohol ban does.

By Busi Mavuso

SA’s application for $4.2bn from the IMF exhausts the ‘conditionality free’ money; the next step will be borrowing based on harsh but necessary conditionality.

By Busi Mavuso

Quite simply, the restructuring of SAA into a commercially sustainable airline is too expensive for the state to fund.

We extend unwavering support to Business for South Africa (B4SA)’s economic recovery plan in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic shock it has caused.

By Busi Mavuso

With alcohol sales locked down again, South Africa needs to make the economic recovery as urgent as our health response.

By Tebele Luthuli

Access to information is the new way of being in and part of the world in today’s digital age. But this brings its own problems – for which SA is unfortunately inadequately prepared.

By Busi Mavuso

The impact of the Covid-19 crisis is becoming ever clearer: business confidence is record low; over 1-million jobs have been lost; and the Reserve Bank is forecasting that GDP will fall by 33% in Q2 of 2020.

By Busi Mavuso

Better consultation between all stakeholders in the economy could help avoid some unnecessary pitfalls if SA has to revert to a hard lockdown.

By Busi Mavuso

Amid evidence of maladministration and unauthorised expenditure, most municipalities are unable to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.

By Busi Mavuso

An important background issue to get right as we face the Covid-19 crisis is that business and government must work together, while understanding our different functions.

By Busi Mavuso

SA can’t afford to lose hope and resign to the worst. Business and government have to work together to ensure that the least amount of lives are lost and that the economy holds a promise of a better tomorrow.

By Busi Mavuso

Not all government debt is bad. The key is to ensure funds are geared towards growth-enhancing measures that will benefit the vast majority.

SA could see the end of loadshedding by August next year, by when Eskom hopes to have eliminated the backlog in its maintenance programme, CEO André de Ruyter told business leaders in a webcast organised by BLSA on 26 June 2020.

By Busi Mavuso

As we gear up to drive an economic recovery, the downgrades of the Industrial Development Corporation and the Development Bank of Southern Africa make it more difficult for the two institutions to fund investment to support the economy.

By Busi Mavuso

SA runs the real risk of a sovereign debt crisis in about three years, which will feed into all our major corporations and our banking sector that managed to successfully navigate the global financial sector crash of 2008.

We congratulate Tito Mboweni for tackling the key question in the supplementary budget of whether we continue a decline or start a process of renewal.

By Busi Mavuso

Tomorrow’s emergency budget is supposed to map a way forward for just how the state will help galvanise an economy bludgeoned by the effects of the lockdown.

Business is asking three questions ahead of the emergency budget: where the money is going to come from, how the high deficit will be met and what phase three of the economic strategy will look like.

By Tebele Luthuli

With many businesses under extreme strain due to the Covid-19 pandemic, desperate measures seem to include much that is seemingly unethical.

By Busi Mavuso

We applaud the NPA for the arrests of suspects linked to the looting of VBS Bank and offer our full support as it pursues justice.

By Busi Mavuso

To invest in an airline right now is a risky gamble for any investor, especially in a national airline such as SAA that hasn’t produced a profit for a decade and has been surviving on bailouts of over R30bn in that time.

The role of the new SOE council is critical but it has a tough task. BLSA wishes it the best in fulfilling its mandate.

By Busi Mavuso

One only hopes the new SOE council has not been set up to meet quarterly to just deliver advisory notes to the president.

By Busi Mavuso

As South Africa thinks about the economic recovery post the coronavirus crisis, shattered business confidence should have us worried.

By Busi Mavuso

South Africa needs to focus on the safe reopening of the economy and ensuring the pressure remains on policymakers to keep their commitments to structural reforms.

By Busi Mavuso

The upcoming emergency budget will be difficult as Tito Mboweni has to reallocate R130bn to meet the needs of the stimulus package, which is likely to ruffle some feathers.

By Busi Mavuso

Whatever courts find on lockdown details, there is no doubt that social distancing and health protocols work and must be in place.

By Tebele Luthuli

The efforts of SARS, law enforcement agencies and other groups that have been battling illicit trade in SA long before the Covid-19 lockdown are being undermined by the continued ban on cigarette sales.

By Busi Mavuso

The social compact shouldn’t just be a lofty ideal, but should be practised – and again, business needs to be given the space to contribute.

Government reiterates its efforts to improve SOEs and invites the private sector to participate in infrastructure rollout drive to spur the economy.

By Busi Mavuso

SA will see a return of badly needed fixed investment only if the state creates an environment that is conducive for businesses to thrive and to grow inclusively. Dabbling in prescribed assets or fiddling with the independence of the Reserve Bank will not rebuild confidence.

By Busi Mavuso

Momentum is building towards finding viable solutions for our ailing SOEs with the presidential SOE council to be named soon and the review of all SOEs under way.

By Busi Mbauso

As business welcomes the opening of the economy from June 1, we must do so understanding the responsibility of navigating us through the September Covid-19 peak.

By Busi Mavuso

There is a need for extra caution because SA is relaxing its lockdown at a time when the virus spreads more rapidly.

The positive message from government is that it is committed to driving a recovery and is open-minded on engaging with business on how to do it. The shift to level three next week is important and welcome.

By Busi Mavuso

The Covid-19 pandemic is forcing businesses to rethink how they operate. Those that innovate – and quickly – will be able to firstly keep their heads above water and then prosper

By Busi Mavuso

It was encouraging to see government’s commitment and eagerness to moving to level 3 in an effort to stave off the looming economic catastrophe.

Cyril Ramaphosa’s admission that some lockdown restrictions had been unclear, poorly explained and even contradictory was a powerful step in resetting government’s relationship with the public.

By Busi Mavuso

Eskom grasped the opportunity from lockdown to deal with maintenance issues but its debt is still the biggest sovereign risk to our economy.

Level four is something of a testing ground to assess Covid-19 readiness for moving to levels three and two, to learn more about the challenges and states of readiness, trade and industry minister Ebrahim Patel told an online webcast with business leaders on Friday organised by Business Leadership South Africa.

Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) has thrown its support behind the #NoExcuse initiative which aims to tackle gender-based violence (GBV) during the national lockdown.

By Busi Mavuso

ANC leadership is finally accepting the world as it is and not how it wants it to be.

Government must be agile in responding to changing conditions. The risk-based framework for opening the economy allows agility to some extent by giving it tools to fine-tune.

By Busi Mavuso

If our fiscal roadmap includes plans for the start of a new state-owned airline and, given our most recent record in managing one in SAA, one wonders what sort of terms will be struck.

By Busi Mavuso

That the government is still toying around with bailing out companies such as SAA is a worrying trait that might keep us mired in the past.

By Tebele Luthuli

As people, governments, businesses and civil societies across the globe grapple with the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns, criminal syndicates are taking advantage.

Big businesses as well as SMMEs are facing a serious calamity with the Covid 19 crisis.

The bans on cigarette and alcohol sales have dramatically boosted the fortunes of criminal syndicates and even seen gangs expanding their activities into these markets as their regular criminal activities have been disrupted by the lockdown.

By Busi Mavuso

On Friday, the curtain finally starts to lift on what must rank as the most difficult period for a South African economy that has been through the worst over the past decade.

By Tebele Luthuli

The closure of taverns and shebeens due to lockdown, while necessary, has unfortunately meant significant loss of income for a lot of people across South Africa, particularly in poorer areas.

By Busi Mavuso

The phased easing of the lockdown is a welcome step for government to take in managing the covid-19 crisis.

By Busi Mavuso

Business has been at the coalface of the damage caused by the lockdown and is most anxious to get back to work.

By Busi Mavuso

We needed decisive intervention from government in the face of an economy that is set to reel from the effects of covid-19. It was delivered.

Trade and industry minister Ebrahim Patel briefs business on government’s risk-adjusted strategy in reopening the economy.

By Busi Mavuso

There’s a lot riding on the solutions that the cabinet proposes to recast the economy for much-needed growth.

By Busi Mavuso

SAA is a symbol of government’s mismanagement of the economy. The airline is now terminal. The Covid-19 crisis has put the lid on the coffin, but there were no alternatives even before the crisis.

By Tebele Luthuli

The reasons for the ban on cigarette sales, though, remain unclear and should be open for discussion and review.

By Busi Mavuso

National Treasury and the Reserve Bank are stepping up to the plate with responses to the Covid-19 pandemic – despite having very little wiggle room given our fiscal constraints.

By Busi Mavuso

The two-week extension of the lockdown is like taking a punch to the gut, but we need to consider the ramifications. Economists are penciling a deeper GDP contraction this year of -9.7%.

By Busi Mavuso

There is a lot government can do from a policy point of view to increase the survival rate of small businesses.

By Busi Mavuso

The lockdown is unprecedented – there’s no manual on how to respond to the shutdown of commerce.

By Busi Mavuso

We need to consider the ramifications of the lockdown on the world once we win the war against Covid-19.

By Busi Mavuso

We are in a living experiment of different policy choices in response to the Covid-19 crisis. The lock-down that we are enduring represents the best policy choice given the experiences of countries around the world that have faced the virus earlier.

By Busi Mavso

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns it has triggered locally and internationally, some estimates say as many as 1.1 million jobs are at risk in SA.

By Busi Mavuso

We have hit the economic iceberg. The decision by Moody’s to downgrade our credit rating to junk finally cut SA’s tenuous hold on its last investment-grade rating.

The Sword of Damocles has fallen. SA’s debt is now rated junk by Moody’s and raising new debt will be more expensive. The question is what government does next.

By Busi Mavuso

Tonight we head into a first in South Africa’s young history, with the entire population being placed under lockdown for our greater good.

Interventions by governments and monetary authorities around the world have been dramatic in response to Covid-19 – reminiscent of war times.

By Busi Mavuso

SA needs to implement structural reforms, which will imbue the state with credibility at a time when it will count the most as investors settle into a post-coronavirus world.

By Busi Mavuso

We have to pull together to confront Covid-19. Business is mobilising. Important objectives are to ensure we can continue getting goods and services to consumers and to increase supply of goods that are particularly needed now such as hand sanitiser, personal protection equipment for frontline staff and medicines.

The shock of coronavirus on SA’s economy will be dire, regardless of whether or not the country successfully contains the spread.

By Busi Mavuso

SA is caught up in a perfect storm of a weak economy, loadshedding and the Coronavirus. This threatens us with another full-blown recession.

BLSA CEO Busi Mavuso recommends the required stimulus package to best respond to coronavirus, which is proving to have dire consequences on SA’s embattled economy.

By Busi Mavuso

Coronavirus gives SA an opportunity to make bold political decisions and effect the structural reforms we have been talking about

By Busi Mavuso

Indecision is a certainty in SA that has long plagued our economy. But now we have an unprecedented new layer of uncertainty added in the form of coronavirus.

It’s time to take strong against illicit trade, which is doing tremendous damage to the economy.

BLSA is a business organisation that believes in South Africa’s future and shares the values set out in the Constitution. In 2017, BLSA signed a contract with South Africa, committing business to playing its part in creating a South Africa of increasing prosperity for all by harnessing the resources and capabilities of business in partnership with government and civil society to deliver economic growth, transformation and inclusion.

BLSA CEO Busisiwe Mavuso says Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) needs to create job opportunities.

Coronavirus induced market crisis is worse now than in 2007 when South Africa had a budget surplus.

Following a dialogue session on Tuesday, Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso lamented that South Africa’s economy was characterised by low growth, which was further exacerbated by contributing factors such as illicit trade.

As big business we are working tirelessly to stem the rising tide of crime.

An estimated 2GW of power generation outside Eskom is just waiting for state approval – but nothing has happened despite assurances by President Ramaphosa that this is a path that his administration has chosen.

It is well past the time to review all of our SOEs and make the necessary reforms to get our focus back on growing this economy in an inclusive manner.

What we called for in last week’s Budget Speech 2020 was substance rather than the bluster of words of intent. Tito Mboweni rose to the challenge.

Tito Mboweni has faced up to the challenges and delivered a tough budget that will rescue the state from financial disaster – if it can be implemented.

South Africa’s national finances are in a perilous state and the finance minister will have the difficult task of setting out how they will be managed.

Much is riding in the 2020 Budget speech because a slide into full junk status by Moody’s is a very clear and present danger.

The dual catastrophes of South Africa’s unemployment and economic growth situations can only be met by leadership with a will to make the right but perhaps politically less palatable choices.

President Cyril Ramaphosa gave a positive SONA 2020 with some real plans to deal with our economic problems. The challenge is implementation.

It is up to President Cyril Ramaphosa to reinvigorate and inspire confidence in South Africans from all walks of life in his SONA.