Godongwana stands his ground: will the cabinet stand with him?
Dr Miriam Altman is Director of Altman Advisory, Professor of 4IR Practice at the University of Johannesburg, and a Commissioner on the National Planning Commission in the Presidency. She writes in her private capacity.
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Five priorities to activate youth employment
Lately I have heard quite a few commentators saying that 74% of youth are unemployed. This kind of talk may give a cathartic feeling to those that are exasperated with the current state of the South African economy. And technically this is a figure published by Statistics South Africa that refers to expanded unemployment of 15-24 year olds. But, it is not very helpful information about youth unemployment. An extremely bad situation does not get more easily solved by blowing it up.
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Mboweni’s 2021 budget credibility
Mboweni’s 2021 Budget has to reveal a credible path to stabilising public finances, while also enabling activities that promote progression to a decent life. Elements of these can be sequenced, but there have to be material signs of both in the near term. Otherwise, the goals of fiscal sustainability will be scuppered early on by political demands, pushing South Africa into a vicious circle and locking it into stasis or worse.
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How South Africa can best balance control of COVID-19 and avoid economic disaster
There is intense pressure on the South African government to lift the lockdown and open the economy. Sustainably lifting out of the lockdown is critical. But there is no roadmap. The stakes are high and there are no right answers, just ones that juggle uncertain probabilities.
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