This week, the IMF approved a funding request for South Africa under its Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) programme.A number of concessions have applied, ranging from the annual quota allowed to the terms of engagement.In the RFI programme, the IMF indicates no contentious conditions are attached to it, even though a road map towards repayment is…
There was an expectation that essential services would resist the temptation to engage in questionable behaviour during the lockdown.It is therefore difficult to reconcile the conduct of Dis-chem - a supplier of healthcare products - during the current crisis.The company has nonetheless decided to appeal a R1.2 million penalty imposed upon it for price gouging.A…
The dilemma of running a balanced public budget is inevitable where there is a divergence of economics and politics.Economics calls for sacrifices and trade-offs, while politics is committed to a quest for re-election.A lack of consensus among the political elite leads to a loss of legitimacy. Inadequate allocations in key areas may result in a vicious…
Taxi commuters are facing a pay hike.An increase in transport costs isn't linked to an increase in wages, so a hike in transport costs deepens the wedge between wages and take-home pay. Where spatial planning and lack of infrastructure development leave limited viable transport options, consumers are the ones who lose out. The journey from…
Kataza the baboon. Facebook / Baboon Matters The City of Cape Town has asked the public not to feed a baboon that has relocated to Tokai. The baboon, known as Kataza or SK11, is slowly being integrated into the Tokai troop. Video footage, however, shows humans feeding Kataza. The City of Cape Town has requested that Kataza…
As SA Rugby moves to determine which franchises will go to Europe in future, Rassie Erasmus has noted several potential benefits for the local game should that route be followed.The national director of rugby believes the high world rankings of Wales, Ireland and Scotland mean PRO Rugby is competitive and that fans will eventually identify…
(John Finney Photography/Moment/Getty Images) An abnormally bad season of weather may have had a significant impact on the death toll from both World War I and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, according to new research, with many more lives being lost due to torrential rain and plummeting temperatures. Through a detailed analysis of an ice…