Tag: Tshikululu Social Investments

South African tourism is often viewed through an international lens. A foreign visitor might take a game drive in Kruger National Park or follow a wine-tasting itinerary through Stellenbosch. However, the strongest engine of the tourism economy is not the overseas visitor. It is the South African who travels domestically. These travellers often sustain businesses in townships, villages and rural economies that remain largely invisible from the mainstream tourism economy.

South Africa has built one of the continent's strongest Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) response systems. The next step, however, needs to focus on prevention, with business firmly and deliberately taking a defining role. Statistics from the Human Sciences Research Council show the extent of South Africa’s GBVF crisis.

The Middle East conflict continues to destabilise an already volatile global economy. It is driving energy price shocks, inflationary pressure and heightened uncertainty for developing economies, particularly those exposed to energy and currency volatility. In South Africa, economic shockwaves continue to drive up fuel prices, strain energy systems and push the cost of living beyond reach.

According to UNESCO, press freedom has declined steadily since 2012. Despite this trend, South Africa continues to perform well. The country ranks 27th out of 180 nations in the World Press Freedom Index. This ranking signals a continued commitment to respecting the role and independence of mainstream and independent community media.

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.

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.