Busi Mavuso
As seen in:
Flipboard,
Investing.com,
News24,
News24 Business,
Business Report,
Independent Online,
Personal Finance,
Sunday Times,
TimesLIVE,
AllAfrica
and
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Busi Mavuso
BLSA tracker shows reform progress as municipal elections put service delivery to the test
The BLSA Reform Tracker released its quarterly review last week. It reveals a positive step up in momentum, with its reform index up after a dip last quarter, led by progress on economic reforms. The full review is a good read, interrogating government’s progress on implementing reforms; you can read it here.
MTBPS 2026: Skills training must lead to jobs, not just certificates
The Medium-term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS 2026) last week confirmed my expectation that National Treasury is righting the fiscal ship. Debt-to-GDP stabilised at 78.4% in 2025/26 and is now projected to decline, while the budget deficit is narrowing to 3.9% of GDP this year. That is a hard-won achievement and Treasury deserves credit for it. The risk of fiscal calamity has receded, giving investors greater confidence to put their money at risk and back South Africa for the long term.
Fiscal Discipline Is Half The Battle – Now Make Education Spending Deliver Jobs
Last week’s medium-term budget policy statement confirmed my expectation that National Treasury is righting the fiscal ship. Debt-to-GDP stabilised at 78.4% in 2025/26 and is now projected to decline, while the budget deficit is narrowing to 3.9% of GDP this year. That is a hard-won achievement, and Treasury deserves credit. The risk of fiscal calamity has receded, giving investors greater confidence to put their money at risk and back South Africa for the long term. That is what enables growth.
Chinese goods flood SA: what R165bn surge means for factory jobs
Chinese goods worth nearly R165 billion more are arriving on South Africa’s shores than six years ago, and the consequences reach well beyond boardrooms. They touch the livelihoods of factory workers, the durability of communities built around manufacturing, and the everyday availability of locally made goods at fair prices. According to a Bloomberg report published by BusinessTech on 18 October 2026, imports from China have more than doubled since the start of the decade.
SA’s fiscal recovery is gaining ground, but growth hasn’t caught up
The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) this week will be an opportunity to reflect on another major success in the reform effort: the mending of government finances. At the end of the Zuma administration, South Africa was on a downward path to bankruptcy with spiralling debt, falling tax revenues and state-owned enterprises in permanent need of multi-billion-rand bailouts.
SA’s Finances Are On The Mend – Now For Growth
The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement this week will be an opportunity to reflect on another major success in the reform effort: the mending of government finances. At the end of the Zuma administration, South Africa was on a downward path to bankruptcy with spiralling debt, falling tax revenues and state-owned enterprises in permanent need of multi-billion-rand bailouts.
Private grid projects need a firm timetable, not more delays – Mavuso
The independent transmission project (ITP) programme is set to mobilise substantial private investment into building out the electrical grid infrastructure. It is critical to our economic growth targets as it will unlock greater electricity generation and access. But an announcement earlier this month from the Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) and National Treasury has delayed the request for proposals from the third quarter of this year to the second quarter of next year.
Only 17% of government tenders got awarded in 2025
The GDP figures for the second quarter were disappointing, with the economy shrinking by 0.2%. But among the numbers, I was struck by how weak investment still is. Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) was 13.6% of GDP. That was the weakest number in five years, despite the very positive work done since 2021 to turn around the performance of electricity and logistics systems.
Eskom 2.0 must prepare for a competitive electricity market – Mavuso
Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa last week helpfully set out the shareholder’s expectations for what he called “Eskom 2.0”. We have long said that Eskom needs to become an effective provider in a competitive electricity market, and the minister has made that objective clear to the board. He has set out an expectation that the board develop a roadmap for Eskom over the next 10 years that adapts to the entry of new generators and traders.
Cadre deployment crackdown paves way for civil service overhaul
The signing of the Public Service Commission Act into law last week, alongside the Public Service Amendment Act and the Public Administration Management Amendment Act also recently signed, represents a significant overhaul of the rules governing South Africa’s civil service. Together, these three laws remove political patronage in appointments, close off conflicts of interest, and give the PSC real enforcement powers – including criminal penalties for obstruction – for the first time.
SA economy contracts 0.2% in reality check for growth targets
The second-quarter GDP figures should humble all of us, particularly after the unemployment figures released two weeks ago. The 0.2% contraction of the economy shows just how fragile it is and how much work still lies ahead. Trade, manufacturing and mining activity all shrunk during the quarter, with agriculture growing only slightly and electricity and transport providing more upside support.
South Africa’s GDP Contraction Is A Reality Check
The second-quarter GDP figures should humble all of us, particularly after the unemployment figures released two weeks ago. The 0.2% contraction shows just how fragile the economy is and how much work still lies ahead. Trade, manufacturing and mining activity all shrunk during the quarter, with agriculture growing only slightly and electricity and transport providing more upside support.
Business confidence drops in Q3 despite reform progress
Last week gave us plenty of signs that reform is moving forward, but business confidence is far behind. That gap reflects the path we still must follow to turn reform into a real improvement in the operating environment. National Treasury, through the Development Bank of Southern Africa, has issued a call for proposals for advisors on the unbundling of Eskom’s transmission assets into an independent transmission system operator (ITSO). This is a significant step.
Reform Is Moving Faster Than Business Confidence
Last week gave us plenty of signs that reform is moving forward, but business confidence is far behind. That gap reflects the path we still must follow to turn reform into a real improvement in the operating environment. National Treasury, through the Development Bank of Southern Africa, has issued a call for proposals for advisors on the unbundling of Eskom’s transmission assets into an independent transmission system operator (ITSO). This is a significant step.
SA-Brazil deal is politics, not a trade strategy – Mavuso
Last week’s announcement that South Africa had reaffirmed its strategic partnership with Brazil with ambitions to deepen economic ties was presented as a diplomatic win. But the fact that it was led by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), rather than the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic), told you something important: this was a political conversation, not an economic one. That matters.
The Hard Work Starts Now: 3%+ Growth And A Million+ Jobs Is The Target
South Africa has enormous potential. We have brilliant people capable of achieving remarkable things, from our sporting achievements to globally flourishing companies. Mobilising our best people – from across business and government – to focus on the task of growing our economy by at least 3% will result in success. And last week, at the launch of phase 3 of the business-government partnership, I had a real sense that we are heading toward success.
Over 30 CEOs join government to drive 3%+ growth and 1m jobs
Last week, the next phase of the business-government partnership was launched, with over 30 CEOs committed to driving growth across energy reform, key economic sectors and investment confidence. The first two phases have delivered real results that have built confidence between business and government. The private sector has already invested over R360 billion in new energy production and over R20 billion has been committed to port and rail infrastructure.
Eskom unbundling stalls as board digs in over lender complexity
The dreadful unemployment figures last week signal a worsening crisis, especially for our young people. It is a sign of the failure to get our economy to grow at a pace that creates jobs. The causes are not mysterious – from logistics to the energy system, investors are waiting for implementation to begin investing.
PIC’s governance crisis is self-inflicted – Mavuso
A court last week overturned the suspension of Public Investment Corporation (PIC) CEO Patrick Dlamini, ruling that the board that suspended him lacked the authority to do so; only the minister holds that power. That single finding tells you almost everything you need to know about what is wrong with how the PIC is governed.
The PIC’s Governance Crisis Is Self-Inflicted – And The Fix Is Well Known
Last week a court overturned the suspension of PIC CEO Patrick Dlamini, ruling that the board that suspended him lacked the authority to do so; only the minister holds that power. That single finding tells you almost everything you need to know about what is wrong with how the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) is governed. The PIC is the largest shareholder in many large listed companies. Its views have significant influence in boardrooms. Its own governance should be beyond reproach.
Ramaphosa backs Eskom restructuring plan for competitive power market
On Friday President Cyril Ramaphosa endorsed the first report of the Eskom Restructuring Task Team, and with it provided the clearest vision yet for the independent transmission system operator (ITSO). I welcome that endorsement unreservedly.
We Cannot Afford Reform Complacency
The BLSA Reform Tracker released its quarterly update last week, and I find the picture it paints genuinely worrying. There are areas of real progress – but on the two reforms that matter most for growth, electricity and logistics, momentum is slipping. With load-shedding behind us and the ports performing better than at the height of the crisis, I fear we are falling into the trap of “good enough.” For a country with 32% unemployment, good enough is not good enough.
South Africa’s newfound economic resilience
The renewed conflict in the Middle East has once again placed geopolitical risk firmly back on the global agenda and through it all, the resilience shown by the South African economy has been impressive in relation to most economies, with the rand holding up far better than it has during past global shocks.
No more funding without accountability for failing municipalities
We have finally come to the brink of widespread municipal collapse. National Treasury’s decision to withhold the July equitable share transfer from 69 municipalities follows Auditor-General (AG) reports going back more than 10 years, where irregular expenditure (a strong indicator of corruption) increased year after year, with no effective measures taken to stop the rot.
Local Government’s Day Of Reckoning Has Arrived
We have finally come to the brink of widespread municipal collapse. National Treasury’s decision to withhold the July equitable share transfer from 69 municipalities follows auditor-general reports going back more than 10 years, where irregular expenditure (a strong indicator of corruption) increased year after year, with no effective measures taken to stop the rot.
Mavuso rejects Nyati’s claims of interference in Eskom’s unbundling
It was alarming this week to hear Eskom board chair Mteto Nyati argue, first on social media and then in a radio interview, that Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) and Business Unity South Africa (Busa) are guilty of the kind of political interference we have spent years campaigning against. He went further, suggesting that if we are not simply accepting Eskom’s own account of the matter, our advocacy must be “driven by … other interests” rather than the interests of the country.
Good Governance Means Implementing Settled policy
It was alarming this week to hear Eskom board chair Mteto Nyati argue, first on social media and then in a radio interview, that BLSA and Business Unity South Africa are guilty of the kind of political interference we have spent years campaigning against. He went further, suggesting that if we are not simply accepting Eskom’s own account of the matter, our advocacy must be “driven by… other interests” rather than by the country’s interests.
Johannesburg Is Not Poor. The City Is Badly Managed. That Must Change
Last week the BLSA Council met to consider research on the state of Johannesburg, presented by Lael Bethlehem of Genesis Analytics. The findings were stark. For a decade, during which the city has cycled through eight mayors amid deep political dysfunction, service delivery has collapsed, criminal syndicates have become entrenched, and revenue collection has deteriorated. I was not surprised by the direction of the findings, but I was struck by the scale of them.
Resolving Joburg’s Eskom Debt Crisis Is Critical To Keeping Lights On
South Africa cannot afford for Johannesburg to fail, and the city’s electricity supply is now genuinely at risk. The R5.3bn debt that the city owes to Eskom is not being resolved in a sustainable way, and the consequences became more concrete last week. Eskom granted Johannesburg a brief reprieve, agreeing to delay by 30 days its Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) process – the legal procedure the power utility must follow before it can cut electricity supply to the City.
Credit ratings won’t matter if corruption drags SA back onto grey list
Three pieces of good news arrived last week, and they all point in the same direction. GDP growth beat forecasts. The World Bank ranked Durban the most improved port in the world. And Fitch upgraded South Africa’s credit rating for the first time in 20 years. The reform agenda is starting to deliver real results. The Fitch upgrade follows S&P’s upgrade late last year with a positive outlook, and confirmation from Moody’s that it too has a positive outlook.
SA’s Greatest Strength Is Unity In Crisis. Now Joburg Needs Business, Government And Citizens To Fix The City
As the World Cup kicks off this week in North America, I am reminded of our hosting of the event in 2010. The first match will again be South Africa against Mexico – the same fixture that launched the tournament when we hosted. That 2010 World Cup showcased South Africa at its best. But the contrast between then and now reveals how far Johannesburg has since declined. That game was in the magnificent FNB Stadium, easily accessible by metro train from Park Station.
Johannesburg’s decline since the 2010 World Cup is stark
As the Fifa World Cup kicks off this week in North America, I am reminded of our hosting of the event in 2010. The first match will again be South Africa against Mexico – the same fixture that launched the tournament when we hosted. That 2010 World Cup showcased South Africa at its best. But the contrast between then and now reveals how far Johannesburg has since declined.
The city that wowed the world in 2010 is now bankrupt
Johannesburg As the World Cup kicks off this week in North America, I am reminded of our hosting of the event in 2010. The first match will again be South Africa against Mexico – the same fixture that launched the tournament when we hosted. That 2010 World Cup showcased South Africa at its best. But the contrast between then and now reveals how far Johannesburg has since declined. That game was in the magnificent FNB Stadium, easily accessible by metro train from Park Station.
Johannesburg’s Failure Is A National Risk
As the World Cup kicks off this week in North America, I am reminded of our hosting of the event in 2010. The first match will again be South Africa against Mexico – the same fixture that launched the tournament when we hosted. That 2010 World Cup showcased South Africa at its best. But the contrast between then and now reveals how far Johannesburg has since declined. That game was in the magnificent FNB Stadium, easily accessible by metro train from Park Station.
Fiscal Discipline Pays Off – Now Hold The Course And Accelerate Reform
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) made the right call last week, hiking interest rates by 25 basis points in response to rising global inflation. Governor Lesetja Kganyago and the Monetary Policy Committee did not hesitate. With inflation at 4% in April and the SARB projecting it will average 4.4% for the year, above its 3% target, the decisive response was essential. Price stability is critical to businesses’ ability to plan and invest.
South Africa’s Growth Needs Logistics & Export Reform To Fight Unemployment
With 8.1-million unemployed, growth is the only path to job creation, and that requires competitive logistics, enabling exporters to succeed globally – making reform acceleration non-negotiable. Statistics reported last week for freight volumes through South Africa’s ports in 2025 show a genuine recovery. Another win last week was the finalisation of 11 private rail operators’ contracts with Transnet Freight Rail Infrastructure to operate various routes on the network.
Eskom’s recovery is real, but R130bn in municipal debt puts it at risk
Congratulations to Eskom for a full year without load-shedding. That is a remarkable turnaround from only three years ago when we experienced 300 days of load shedding with devastating impact on the economy. While there are many contributors to this achievement, I want to congratulate in particular CEO Dan Marokane and his leadership team at Eskom. Through his leadership, the utility has implemented its Generation Recovery Plan, which has successfully improved plant performance.
South Africa’s logistics reforms can’t afford to slow down
Reform of our logistics sector is critical to our future economic success. We cannot be a competitive exporting nation without efficient ports and efficient access to them. Our farms, factories and mines need to be able to get their output to markets around the world at prices that are competitive with other producers. That is critical to enabling economic growth and job creation. This is urgent.
Logistics Reforms Deliver Results, But Momentum Must Accelerate
Reform of our logistics sector is critical to our future economic success. We cannot be a competitive exporting nation without efficient ports and efficient access to them. Our farms, factories, and mines need to be able to get their output to markets around the world at prices that are competitive with other producers. That is critical to enabling economic growth and job creation. This is urgent.
Are SA’s policies as a country pro-growth?
Are our policies as a country pro-growth? You would hope the answer is yes. Growth is the only way we deal with the severe challenges facing us – unemployment, poverty, inequality. Growth enables companies to invest and expand, hire more people and pay more taxes. Employment enables people to live better lives and escape dependence on the state. Taxes mean government can expand social spending, improving education and healthcare. In short, growth is the path to the country we all want.
Manufacturing is leaving – and policy uncertainty is not helping
Any aspiration that South Africa has to rebuild its industrial base is disappearing before our eyes. The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) should take the lead in changing that, if they indeed regard industrialisation as strategic to the growth of the South African economy. If it fails, a generation of South Africans will pay the price. Manufacturing contributes roughly 12% of GDP and supports more than 1.5 million jobs directly, with multiples of that in supply chains.
Stop Deindustrialisation Before It’s Too Late
Any aspiration that South Africa has to rebuild its industrial base is disappearing before our eyes. The Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition should take the lead in changing that, if they indeed regard industrialisation as strategic to the growth of the South African economy. If it fails, a generation of South Africans will pay the price. Manufacturing contributes roughly 12% of GDP and supports more than 1.5-million jobs directly, with multiples of that in supply chains.
South Africa’s economic future is decided at municipal level
Last week we were pleased to host Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Velenkosini Hlabisa to address our council on progress with local government reform. The minister was refreshingly direct – local government reform is economic reform. Dysfunctional municipalities are a binding constraint on investment and job creation, while functional ones are engines of growth.
Minister Hlabisa Says Cadre Deployment Was Primary Cause Of Municipal Failure
Last week, we were pleased to host Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa to address our Council on progress with local government reform. The minister was refreshingly direct – local government reform is economic reform. Dysfunctional municipalities are a binding constraint on investment and job creation, while functional ones are engines of growth.
Tourism Offers An Opportunity We Can Control Amid Global Uncertainty
The tourism sector is a clear strength in our efforts to grow the economy and create jobs. In 2025, we recorded a record 10.5-million visitors, more than before Covid. The sector contributes almost 9% of GDP and almost 1-million direct jobs, and multiples of that down the value chain. In the face of sinking economic growth forecasts across the world, the sector can lean against the trend.
Progress on Zondo reforms highlights both gains and gaps
Every piece of reform that gets implemented is hard-won. It usually goes through a drawn-out process of design involving multiple stakeholders, then it’s ironed out into a piece of legislation, where the public has input before going through parliamentary approval processes. Then the challenge of effective implementation begins.
NPA means business, but police rot runs deep
Arrests of 11 senior police officers connected to R360m tender show that NPA rebuilding is delivering results, with the Madlanga Commission exposing criminal networks reaching the highest levels of policing. Police corruption at the top, with the minister on a leave of absence and the national commissioner facing charges, undermines the rule of law that business depends on to function and invest.
NPA Proves Accountability Is Possible, Now Make It Inevitable
The arrests last week of 11 senior police officers connected to an irregular R360 million South African police Service tender are a sign that the age of impunity is over. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which has been building a case for two years, has acted against powerful figures at the heart of police corruption. These arrests strike at the institutional rot that has been eating away at our capacity to enforce the law.
We’re worried about fuel prices – BLSA
The war in the Middle East is likely to harm the global economy, with the magnitude depending on how long it goes on. South African businesses are already working to contain the damage, and we need our politicians to work with us. Everyone is worried about the impact on the fuel price, from small businesses to large corporations.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Busi
Contact Busi, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack