The African Continental Free Trade Area has been established. What now?
This brief examines the recent establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area and its importance within the context of intra-African trade.
The Political Economy Of The Economic Reconstruction And Recovery Plan
The government’s economic policy cards are on the table. Government policy attempts to achieve two goals simultaneously: to ward off an impending fiscal crisis and to improve investment to the point where it can underpin a respectable rate of economic growth. Both need urgent attention. The political economy question is this: can a coalition of interests be maintained to sustain the policy for several years?
Financing Government Debt
The Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, tabled in Parliament on 28 October 2020, projects that the government will need to issue above 50% more short-term and long-term domestic debt in 2020/21 than in 2019/20. In this Brief Charles Simkins considers if the targets can be met and what the macroeconomic implications of doing so would be.
How Coherent Are The 2020 Production And Labour Market Data? II - The Main Issues
This brief compares production and labour market estimates from different sources. Some of the work has already been done in previous briefs and this will be referred to, with a brief summary of findings. In order not to clutter the exposition of new comparisons, supporting tables are placed in the annexure to the brief.
How Coherent Are The 2020 Production And Labour Market Data? I - The Basis For Assessment
The preceding briefs in this series have drawn on a number of sources to assess the evolution of the economy during 2020. These data sources have been compiled for different purposes and to a great extent independently of one another. Yet they overlap and their findings can be compared. The questions arise: How coherent are the data from these sources? What judgements can be made after all the sources have been considered? What uncertainties and puzzles remain?
Social Grants and Unemployment Insurance During The Lockdown
After reviewing the special government cash transfers to households in order to help them through the lockdown, this brief summarizes available information on disbursement of these grants.
ERSA’s Fiscal Futures Webinar Series - Brief V
This is the last brief of five which covers a series of webinar conversations presented by Economic Research South Africa, from late July to early September. Local and international economic and financial policy experts talked about how we think about the economy and the role of fiscal policy after the COVID shock.
ERSA’s Fiscal Futures Webinar Series - Brief IV
This is the fourth brief of five which covers a series of webinar conversations convened by Economic Research South Africa, from late July to early September. Local and international economic policy experts talked about how we think about the economy and the role of fiscal policy after the COVID shock.