Process & Operations

South Africa’s growing water insecurity has moved from an environmental concern to a central economic and regulatory challenge. Deteriorating infrastructure continues to worsen the situation. Recurring supply disruptions also place strain on national systems. In addition, unlawful water use increases pressure on already limited strategic water resources. These factors together strain the country’s water governance framework.

We note the decision by Cabinet to “finally close the historical e-toll debt”. This decision includes both the “close-out” of historical debt and the “resolution of all outstanding litigation matters”. The Minister of Transport has “welcomed the Cabinet decision”. This raises a question. Did the Department of Transport not drive this process from the outset?

Across South Africa, a quiet entrepreneurial shift is underway. From spare rooms and garages to small home studios and converted garden offices, thousands of businesses are launching from home. They are also selling to customers nationwide. While the rise of e-commerce has accelerated this trend, another factor also plays a crucial role.

Across Africa’s food and feed processing sectors, sustainability is increasingly moving to the centre of operational decision-making. Importantly, this shift is not being driven by environmental commitments alone. Instead, many businesses are driving it through more immediate priorities. These priorities include operational efficiency, profitability, resilience and long-term competitiveness.

For most of the past decade, African fintech was a land grab. Valuations rewarded user numbers. Interfaces became flashier. “Disruption” became the pitch that attracted capital investment. From the outside, it was clear that the model was running hotter than it could sustain. However, that era is over.

Geopolitical tensions are disrupting oil supply chains. As a result, global energy markets face increasing strain, while uncertainty around pricing and availability continues to grow. For South Africa, which relies heavily on imported fuel, these disruptions have increased fuel costs, caused delays at ports and created congestion across logistics networks.

Supply chains across the continent face mounting pressure. Geopolitical shifts and economic volatility drive this pressure. Many logistics operators have turned to technology for answers. This shift supports building a competitive logistics ecosystem. This focus also reinforces building a competitive logistics across regional networks.

Our latest SA Satellite Comms Report 2026 provides an in-depth analysis. The report shows the extent to which satellites transform enterprise, consumer, government and wholesale markets. It also positions the satellite market and industry as a central driver of digital infrastructure change.

South Africa’s office sector has started 2026 on a strong footing. According to the Rode Report for Q4 2025, published by Galetti Corporate Real Estate, the country’s national decentralised office vacancy rate fell year-on-year from 12.5% to 11.7%. Meanwhile, Grade-A office rentals increased by 3.5%. Total rental growth for 2025 averaged around 4%.

Most of us do not think we need protection. However, life often proves otherwise. It is easy to dismiss a cover you have never used. That changes quickly in real life. Your phone slips from your hand. It cracks on the kitchen floor. Your geyser bursts without warning. Your car also breaks down after running perfectly the week before.