Viewpoint

Kidnapping remains a serious safety concern in South Africa. This risk is particularly acute in Gauteng, which accounts for more than half of reported cases nationally. Strengthening kidnapping risk awareness is therefore critical. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics for October to December 2025, 4,775 kidnapping cases were reported across the country.

When people discuss the Just Energy Transition (JET), they often focus on gigawatts, emissions targets, and investment flows. However, the Just Transition is not only about energy. At its core, it is about people and building a socially inclusive future. The decisions made in the next decade will shape the country’s trajectory.

In 2024 nominal average per person income in the UAE was US$ 49,400, roughly eight times that of South Africa’s US$ 6,250. On global rankings for GDP per capita, the UAE is among the top 25 countries, while South Africa ranks around the 110th, indicating the degree to which the UAE is ahead in relative living standards.

South Africa stands at a crossroads. We are a nation of extraordinary potential, weighed down by entrenched poverty, youth unemployment, and climate vulnerability. For decades, Corporate Social Investment (CSI) has been part of our development landscape, often perceived as a peripheral act of charity. Increasingly, however, there is recognition that social investment be repositioned as a lever for long-term growth and resilience.

Across the globe, governments emphasise the need to grow the economy. They display statistics as evidence of progress. They build roads, bridges and schools, and they call it development. They also enact regulations, collect taxes and redistribute resources. All of this occurs in the name of economic advancement. But what truly creates wealth?

From rural towns to urban metros, South Africa continues to record driving under the influence cases at almost every police station. Between July and September 2025, police made 20,442 arrests. At the same time, parents across the country are preparing for youth celebrations as exams end. This is especially true for matric learners celebrating their achievements. Behind each number stands a person, a choice, a life and a story.

Venezuela’s oil industry offers one of the clearest illustrations of how politics can both create and destroy economic prosperity. The country holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves. In theory, this endowment should place Venezuela among the most prosperous energy economies globally. Instead, it has become a case study in political failure.

Australia’s decision to ban children under 16 from social media, with Denmark eyeing similar measures for under-15s, has reignited a global debate about children, technology and harm. The political appeal is obvious: draw a clear line, claim protection and move on. But from a South African legal and policy perspective, this approach is both insufficient and misdirected. It treats children as the problem, rather than the digital systems that systematically fail them.

Austrian economists argue that capital is more than just money, it is a living process in which private individuals set aside present consumption, conserve resources, and pour those resources into ventures they believe will yield increase later. That choice demands patience, sound judgment and - above all - ownership.

A top South African wine farm recently launched water tasting experiences. The Library at Lanzerac charges R295 per head for a selection of waters, served by a water sommelier. At that price, it is R15 more expensive than their wine and chocolate tasting, which pairs five Jonkershoek Range wines with artisanal chocolate.