Job retention schemes have been one of the many policy tools used to curb the effects of a lockdown and the COVID-19 crisis. The system works by reducing labour costs which could prevent or reduce...

Countries need data and evidence to create, amend, and evaluate policy. South Africa has been at the vanguard of data collection in sub-Saharan Africa with strong and long-standing institutions collecting data for research purposes. Making...

South Africa runs a large, persistent primary fiscal deficit and the interest rate on government debt, r , is greater than the economic growth rate, g (see Figure 1). Mathematically, these conditions mean sovereign debt...

South Africa runs a primary fiscal deficit and the long-term interest rate on government borrowing, r, is greater than the long-term economic growth rate, g. Without intervention, debt will continue to rise until there is...

UNU-WIDER is hiring two Research Fellows in Pretoria, South Africa. As Research Fellow you would contribute to the research and management of our Southern African – Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-TIED) programme which builds critical...

The launch of SA-TIED Phase II was a major success, garnering widespread media attention. Bongani Bingwa, the host of Breakfast 702, interviewed Antony Phillipson, High Commissioner of the UK to South Africa, ahead of yesterday’s...

Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, has lauded the impact of SA-TIED Phase I in supporting evidence-based policy-making to help South Africa (SA) address some of its most pressing economic problems. He cited the example of...

Members of the media are cordially invited to the launch of Phase II of the SA-TIED programme, which will take the form of a panel discussion under the topic - the challenge of economic inclusion...

The low rail market share for general freight and passenger transport along South Africa’s long corridors negatively impacts the cost of logistics, restricts economic growth, and underutilizes rail capacity. Opportunities exist to technically improve capacity...

This paper reviews South Africa’s monetary policy since 2007 and makes recommendations towards improving the inflation-targeting framework currently in place. Following a surge in inflation into double digits in 2007/08, the South African Reserve Bank...

Southern Africa – Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-TIED) is a collaboration between the South African Government and several academic and research organizations, including IFPRI. It aims to use research to help answer some of the...

Since 2013, the Government of South Africa, IFPRI researchers, and partners have collaborated to assess the role of water infrastructure in adapting to potential climate change impacts. The findings and recommendations of this research have...

The bulk of the South African freight rail network comprises a state-owned, vertically integrated operator, which essentially does not allow freight rail competitors to access its network (some passenger access arrangements are in place). Going...

Extractive industries form an important part of the economy for many developing countries, but their impact on growth and welfare remains understudied. With global efforts to transition to net-zero carbon emissions in the coming decades...

This study analyses the performance of macroeconomic policy in South Africa in 2007–2020 and outlines challenges for policy in the coming decade. After remarkable economic growth in 1997–07, South Africa’s progress slowed dramatically in 2009...