About Dr Roelef Botha

Dr Roelof Botha is the economic advisor to the OIG and is well-known for his balanced perspective on South Africa’s socio-economic prospects, which have improved considerably in the post-Covid era.

To The Point – November 2024

By |2024-11-06T09:28:27+02:00November 6, 2024|To The Point|

Our monthly To the Point column by economist Dr Roelof Botha offers in-depth analysis and commentary on the latest economic trends, market developments, and financial news. Designed to keep you informed and ahead of the curve, each edition delves into key economic indicators, explores their impact on global and local markets, and provides insights to help you navigate the ever-changing economic landscape.

To The Point – October 2024

By |2024-10-06T22:10:36+02:00October 6, 2024|To The Point|

Our monthly To the Point column by economist Dr Roelof Botha offers in-depth analysis and commentary on the latest economic trends, market developments, and financial news. Designed to keep you informed and ahead of the curve, each edition delves into key economic indicators, explores their impact on global and local markets, and provides insights to help you navigate the ever-changing economic landscape.

To The Point – September 2024

By |2024-09-04T10:08:10+02:00September 4, 2024|To The Point|

Our monthly To the Point column by economist Dr Roelof Botha offers in-depth analysis and commentary on the latest economic trends, market developments, and financial news. Designed to keep you informed and ahead of the curve, each edition delves into key economic indicators, explores their impact on global and local markets, and provides insights to help you navigate the ever-changing economic landscape.

Consumer Price Index declines again

By |2024-07-25T08:08:08+02:00July 25, 2024|To The Point|

Households and businesses with debt would have been disappointed at the decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank to maintain the official bank rate at 8.25% (and the prime rate at 11.75%) during their July policy meeting. Fortunately, some good news filtered through less than a week later with the publication by Statistics S.A. of the latest inflation rate, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI). This rate declined marginally to 5.1% in June (from 5.2% in May).

Heartening decline in capital market rate

By |2024-07-18T09:17:03+02:00July 18, 2024|To The Point|

The decline of more than 140 basis points in South Africa’s ten-year bond yield in the aftermath of the recent elections holds the promise of hastening the imminent lowering of the Reserve Bank’s repo rate. The chances for an easing of lending rates happening sooner rather than later have also improved for other reasons, mainly because of further declines in the producer price index (PPI) and the food price index, both of which act as leading indicators of the consumer price index (CPI).

Progress with capital formation in first quarter

By |2024-07-11T08:17:28+02:00July 11, 2024|To The Point|

A welcome year-on-year increase in capital expenditure by selected private sector industries was recorded in the first quarter of 2024, with the asset category for plant and equipment once again in pole position. Between January and March, this asset group witnessed capital expenditure of almost R52 billion, a slight increase over the figure of R51 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2023.

Manufacturing sales advance further

By |2024-06-13T08:27:10+02:00June 13, 2024|To The Point|

South Africa’s manufacturing sector sales performance continues to reach new record high levels, with a cumulative figure of R1.1 trillion achieved between January and April. It is the second successive year that manufacturing sales breached the R1 trillion level within merely four months.

Marginal GPD growth secured in first quarter

By |2024-06-06T08:59:28+02:00June 6, 2024|To The Point|

Statistics SA has released the GDP figures for the first quarter of 2024, once more confirming that economic growth remains in place, albeit at a snail’s pace. According to Statistics SA, the year-on-year real growth rate in the country’s GDP amounted to 0.5% in the first quarter of 2024, following an increase in total production of 1.4% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Cape Town Shines In Global Conference Rankings – 30th May 2024

By |2024-05-30T10:12:23+02:00May 30, 2024|To The Point|

May has been a positive month for South Africa's tourism industry, highlighted by significant improvements in the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) and impressive rankings in the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) global conference popularity rankings. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ICCA resumed its rankings based on in-person meetings, with South Africa placing 41st among 180 countries and Cape Town ranking 63rd out of over 1,200 cities, surpassing cities like Rio de Janeiro, Washington, and Los Angeles.

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