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Research Notes are more in-depth analyses undertaken by BER economists and consultants.
Brief note intended as a more regular interface with our clients.
The Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab is a unit at the BER, focussing on generating policy-relevant work and capacity building to achieve economic success in South Africa. This work is freely available to access on our website.
The BER commissioned Prof Johan Fourie, Chair in Economics, History and Policy at Stellenbosch University, to explore why some countries achieve sustained economic growth and create jobs while others stagnate. He highlights three lessons for South Africa: crises can create reform opportunities if a credible political agreement is in place; the order in which reforms are implemented matters; and strong institutions are essential to ensure reforms last.
Read MoreThe Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab is introducing a new reform barometer. We assess whether structural reforms are translating into measurable improvements in economic performance
South Africa’s mining industry is typically seen as a sunset sector. However, its decline is largely due to policy, regulatory and bureaucratic obstacles rather than geological exhaustion. These binding constraints have significantly reduced the sector’s potential. Fix them, and SA’s great mineral potential could contribute significantly to faster economic growth. Mining could be a sunrise industry once again.
Read MoreThe authority of GDP is hard to escape, but there is a growing need to broaden our gauge of economic activity. This note makes the case for complementing GDP with a transparent, high-frequency “barometer” as a sense-check of South Africa's economy.
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