Tag: SouthAfrica

South African labour law is often accused of being “too employee-friendly”. Employers complain that the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) favours workers, that dismissal has become impossible, and that labour regulation is strangling business.

Our analysis of cancer-related gap claims we paid between 2020 and 2024 shows a staggering increase. The increase relates to gap claim volumes for initial cancer diagnosis, treatment co-payments and shortfalls. This cancer gap claims surge reflects growing pressure on healthcare funding. We operate as a gap cover provider, and GENRIC Insurance Company Limited underwrites the business.

Despite the private capital industry’s proven track record, many investors still view Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) as inherently risky investments. However, this perception does not fully reflect how private capital markets actually function. This conversation around risk in private capital markets is long overdue for reframing. Risk in private capital markets differs fundamentally from that experienced in public markets.

South African environmental law is undergoing a decisive shift. This shift affects how climate change considerations are integrated into environmental authorisation (EA) decision-making. Courts increasingly recognise climate change as a material factor within the “need and desirability” assessment under the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA).

Geopolitics often feels distant. Many people see it as something that happens far away, involving borders or disputes over natural resources. These events usually take place on the other side of the world. However, the reality is far more personal for the average South African household. This is precisely why geopolitics matters to your pocket.

Healthcare policy in South Africa has become emotionally charged. While National Health Insurance (NHI) is often presented as an inevitable endpoint, medical schemes are portrayed as temporary structures awaiting replacement. The 2026 Healthcare Budget tells a more sober story. What stood out to me was not dramatic reform but restraint. The government did not introduce a new NHI tax.

South Africa is running out of landfill space fast. Major hubs like Cape Town and Johannesburg have less than five years of remaining landfill capacity. Therefore, the linear disposal method of landfilling is not serving the country’s waste management challenges. In addition to the landfill airspace challenge, organic waste carries an estimated R8.7 billion annual cost on our economy. This cost results from landfill practices.

The war in Iran, particularly supply blockages through the Strait of Hormuz, has pushed global oil prices sharply higher. Before the conflict began, oil traded at around $68 per barrel. It now sits near $105 per barrel. This shift represents an increase of about 54%. At the same time, the South African currency has weakened.

As the 2026 academic year has now started, thousands of South African students face uncertainty about continuing their studies. They struggle because of outstanding university debt. This challenge has growing implications for access to education. It also affects companies that invest in bursaries as part of their Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) strategies.

The Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) Bill will redefine professionalism in South African financial advice, and advisers who adapt early will lead the field. South Africa’s financial advice sector is entering a decisive new era. The COFI Bill, expected to take effect in 2026, will redefine what quality advice means and how it must be proven.