South Africa

In December 2012 the governing African National Congress (ANC) finally settled the issue of nationalisation of mines that had spread alarm through the sector for much of the year. “The issue of nationalisation as we have discussed during the past few months is off the table. The ANC affirms its historical position on this topic – strategic...

It is often observed that the development of South Africa’s manufacturing activity over recent decades presents something of an anomaly: while the end of the country’s international isolation in 1994 marked the beginning of a period of sustained manufacturing growth, the sector’s contribution to GDP has nevertheless declined as a percentage of...

Competition in South Africa’s highly concentrated banking sector has led to it having the highest penetration rates – both in terms of credit to GDP and banked customers – of any other African country. The sector had recovered from the effects of the global financial crisis on the real economy by the start of 2012, but significant uncertainties...

Amidst a period of market-led consolidation, the continent’s largest pension industry is now facing the prospect of wholesale reform of South Africa’s social security system. While the fiscal implications remain unclear, more inclusive retirement coverage has emerged as a key government priority, alongside health insurance reform (see Health...