OPINIONISTA: Business needs a greater sense of urgency from government to help restore the economy

The government has, on numerous occasions, stressed the importance of reviving the South African economy to address slow growth, attract investment, create jobs and reduce poverty and inequality.

That the economy is in a bad shape is not in doubt. After two consecutive quarters of positive growth, real GDP decreased by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2022, with the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal and rolling blackouts contributing to the decline. These concerns include the regulatory and policy environment, tardy decision-making, red tape in government and the infrastructure crisis. This is particularly the case with energy, rail and ports as well as service delivery, especially at the local authority level where many municipalities are failing to provide basic services, let alone run their administrations efficiently.

No economy, no matter how strong, can continue to sustain such levels of disruption. One wonders why the government is not dealing decisively with corruption at Eskom, such as it continuing to be supplied with low-quality coal at premium prices for its power stations.We all need to ask ourselves what is going on.

Our water supply system is under strain, and this is affecting many parts of the country. Unless something urgent is done, we are going to experience water shortages similar to the disruptions we are now experiencing with the supply of electricity. The crisis in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, where large parts of the area may not have water soon, is an example of the water shortage.If our industry’s supply chains are compromised further, the country’s food security will be further compromised.

On the regulatory front, we just need to do better. It is ironic that Ramaphosa has said South Africa is open for business, yet some government departments are doing their best to shut the door. How can one explain the inordinate delays multinational and local companies have faced when applying for work visas for expatriate staff?

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UPDATE 2-Africa's airline industry to return to profit in 2024, IATA official saysAfrica’s beleaguered airline industry could return to profit at the end of 2024, although regulatory uncertainty and higher fuel prices pose critical challenges, senior aviation officials said at an annual industry meeting on Friday.
Источник: ReutersAfrica - 🏆 31. / 53 Прочитайте больше »