A central message from government since the 2009 elections is that the “economy needs coordination.” To this end, in addition to the already existing National Treasury and the Department of …
Read moreIs a Coordinating Role for the Department of Economic Development Enough?
“Give us massive price increases or the lights will once again go out,” is the nub of the message from Eskom to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA). …
Often civil society activism seems like a mixture of dissatisfaction and hope without much impact on the real world. Activists are usually conscious of the formidable odds against “change” because …
Read moreManuel’s ‘Vision 2025’: Is Civil Society Up to the Challenge?
An emerging description of the South African economy is captured in the words “polarisation paralysis.” The term has several renderings and different emphasis across academic disciplines, with important nuance and …
Read moreThe South African Economy: Polarisation Paralysis and the Struggle for Equity
Do individuals spend their money better than families? This foundational question in the design of income support programmes for the poor has not been robustly debated. Instead, the strong and …
Read moreSocial Grants Dismantle Structural Poverty, They Don’t Create Dependency
Current debates on the motor industry rescue plan remind me of the origins of the term “Hobson’s choice”. The phrase draws from a Mr. Hobson that rented out horses, and …
Read moreMotor Industry Rescue Plan Smacks of Corporate Welfarism
M-Web have confirmed rumours that it will be retrenching about 7% of its staff. The number of jobs is about 66, out of about 1 000, according to its CEO, Rudi …
In the traffic this morning, I was saddened to learn of the death of Margaret Legum. Margaret was an advocate for new economics. Her columns in newspapers provided a rare …
The so-called Browse Mole Report presumably provided all the head honchos of the ANC with worried bedtime reading, and for all of us yet another twist in the succession politics. …