Die ekonomie minuut

Yesterday saw the start of South Africa's fourth international investment conference. President Ramaphosa set the goal in 2018 to attract R1.2 trillion in investments by 2024 and the first three conferences brought in pledges of investments of R744 billion. One can say and ask a few things about the investment conferences.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Vanmiddag 3 uur gaan die goewerneur van die Reserwebank die monetêre beleidskomittee en repokoersbesluit bekend maak. Ek het gedink ek gaan sommer solank sy verklaring parafraseer. “My felllow South Africans” OK, hy sê dit nooit nie, maar bly by my...

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

This afternoon at 3 o'clock the governor of the Reserve Bank will announce the monetary policy committee’s repo rate decision. I thought I should paraphrase his statement. "My fellow South Africans" OK, he never says that, but stay with me....

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Later vanoggend maak Statistieke Suid-Afrika Februarie maand se verbruikersprysinflasiesyfer bekend en more maak die Reserwebank se Monetêre Beleidskomittee hulle repokoers bekend. Eerder as om te voorspel, werk ekonome met scenario’s.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Later this morning, Statistics South Africa will announce February's consumer price inflation figure and tomorrow the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee will announce their repo rate decision. Rather than predicting, economists are working with scenarios.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Die afgelope week het die hooggeregshof beslis dat die gehalte van die lug in Suid-Afrika se steenkoolbelt op die oostelike hoëveld ʼn skending is van mense se grondwetlike regte en aan die omgewings minister ʼn jaar gegee om ʼn skoonlugplan toe te pas. Ekonome noem die besoedeling wat met die produksie van goedere en dienste gepaard gaan ʼn negatiewe eksternaliteit.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

Last week, the High Court ruled that the quality of the air in South Africa's coal belt on the eastern highveld is a violation of people's constitutional rights and gave the Minister of the Environment a year to implement a clean air plan. Economists call the pollution associated with the production of goods and services a negative externality.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Soos wat ons menseregte dag vier wonder ek, wat is die ekonomiese impak van ʼn vakansiedag? Aan die een kant is daar ʼn afname in die produksie van sekere goedere en dienste – die boupersele in ons straat is stil vandag. Aan die ander kant het mens ʼn kort vakansie gevat oor die langnaweek en geld bestee op brandstof, verblyf, en etes by restourant. Dit is ook nie so maklik om te sê dat lande met minder vakansiedae is meer produktief, of groei vinniger nie. Daar is ander faktore wat dit beïnvloed. Onlangse internasionale navorsing gee egter vir ons bietjie insig in die vraagstukke.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.

As we celebrate Human Rights Day, I am wondering, what is the economic impact of a holiday? On the one hand, there is a decline in the production of certain goods and services – the building sites in our street are quiet today. On the other hand, some people took a short vacation over the long weekend and spent money on fuel, accommodation, and restaurant meals. Nor is it so easy to say that countries with fewer holidays are more productive, or that they grow faster. There are other factors that influence this. Recent international research, however, gives us some insight into the issues.

* The Economics Minute is supported by the NWU Business School.

Die Amerikaanse Federale Reserwebank het toe hulle uitleenkoers met 25 basispunte verhoog en die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie se wipwaentjie, tuimmeltrein rit gaan voort: hierdie week se aanwysers van kleinhandelverkope en verbruikersvertroue vertel die storie.

* Die Ekonomie Minuut word ondersteun deur die NWU Sakeskool.