Tag: economy

How should companies and organisations respond to the unpredictable consequences of the recent downgrade of South Africa’s credit rating by two major agencies? Business owners, senior managers and company executives need to prepare themselves for a bumpy second quarter in 2017, with the only certainty being that nobody really knows how much the downgrades by rating agencies and the weaker rand will impact on the economy.

Two weeks have passed since political drama caused havoc in markets yet again, this time with very serious consequences for the South African economy, consumers and investors.

Small business representative organisation AHI says the news that the rating agency, Fitch, has downgraded South Africa's credit rating to sub-investment grade will lead to catastrophically lower economic growth, with some estimating billions of Rands in outflows and a doubling of our current account deficit.

Few people realise that the largest source of business funding in South Africa is provided by private companies themselves. Businesses extend credit to their customers and obtain credit from their suppliers, usually in the form of short-term funding which lasts for 30 to 60 days per transaction.

It has happened! For months we, as a nation, have been struggling and fighting not to be downgraded to junk status, but on Monday, 3 April 2017, following the cabinet reshuffle, it was announced that South Africa’s sovereign credit rating was cut. However, what does that mean?

On 3 April 2017, Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services decided to cut South Africa’s international credit rating from BBB- to BB+. A rating of BB+ is considered below investment grade (sometimes referred to as "junk status”). Unfortunately, the negative ratings outlook was also retained, suggesting that S&P could revise the country’s credit rating lower at year-end should the fiscal parameters deteriorate significantly.

Africa needs to focus on improving infrastructure, technological readiness and health and primary education in order to become more competitive and create more job opportunities for its burgeoning young population; that’s according to KPMG’s latest Report on Africa in a changing global environment.

Political uncertainty globally will have ripple effects on Africa, primarily through impacts on commodity prices and global economic sentiment. While the early months of 2017 have seen improved prices for the commodities on which many southern African economies rely, longer term economic sentiment is more mixed. Meanwhile, governance improvements and the embedding of democratic practices and norms will be tested by pockets of instability as succession battles take place across the region.

"For the first time since the BDSI began in 2013, the average real disposable salaries declined for eight consecutive months in a row on...

After much speculation over the past few weeks as to how the Minister of Finance would ‘plug the deficit’ in his Budget Speech on 22 February 2017, he has chosen to rely on personal income tax (including trusts) by increasing the top-end rate from 41% to 45%, a dividend withholding tax increase from 15% to 20% (with immediate effect) and increased Fuel and Road Accident Fund levies.