2018 May | BER MORNING BRIEFING: The macro economy, confidence and the land issue – Can the Cyril Spring endure?

Mr Hugo Pienaar, Senior economist, Bureau for Economic Research: Constrained optimism – prospects for the SA economy in a post-Zuma era.

Panel discussion on the Parliamentary Motion regarding the review of Section 25 of the constitution to allow expropriation of land without compensation. Will it reduce confidence and investment opportunities and compromise macroeconomic growth?

Panel facilitator: Mrs Christelle Grobler

Panel members:
Prof Johann Kirsten, Director, BER
Mr Enoch Godongwana, Chair, ANC NEC Economic Transformation Committee
Prof Thuli Madonsela, Faculty Trust Chair for Social Justice, Stellenbosch University. Former Public Protector
Mr Lubabalo Ntsholo, EFF Senior Researcher

A recording of the event is available for macro clients at the “webinars” tab under “my account” on the BER’s website.

2017 November | ERSA-BER – REDIX 3x3 Summit: A Strategy for Inclusive Growth and Economic Transformation in South Africa.

The BER joined forces with Economic Research Southern Africa (ERSA), and UCT’s Research Project on Employment, Income Distribution and Inclusive Growth (REDI 3x3) in hosting a summit to discuss policy options for “Inclusive growth”. The summit brought together 75 delegates including policy makers, corporate leaders and civil society partners with the intention to introduce new voices, new insights, and new policy options into the South African economic policy debate, while connecting to the existing understanding of the drivers of growth in South Africa. It was quite fortuitous to have Prof Joseph Stiglitz in South Africa at the time of the event and he agreed to present one of the keynote addresses at the meeting. Other addresses were made by Prof. Gary Fields (Cornell via AV from Ithaca) and Prof. Ben Friedman (Harvard University via AV from Boston) - International Growth Advisory Panel.

2017 October | Cutting through the fiscal noise: initial thoughts on the mini budget

Webinar presentment by Hugo Pienaar and Harri Kemp.

2017 May | BER MORNING BRIEFING: The SA economy, ANC succession and global disruption: The new normal of uncertainty

Global political events, such as the election of Donald Trump as US president and the UK’s planned exit from the EU have resulted in increased uncertainty. Furthermore, political uncertainty in the wake of the ANC policy conference in June as well as the elective conference in December were most likely to taper down any growth prospects. In this context, the BER hosted a morning briefing with three top analysts (Hugo Pienaar, Ralph Mathekga and Peter Attard Montalto) to provide some insights and likely political and economic scenarios to assist BER clients and South African business in general to make informed decisions.