Two leading indicators of the recovery of the economy, private sector credit extension and new vehicle sales were announced this week, but it is not so easy to interpret what they indicate.

Twee belangrike leidende aanwysers van die herstel van die ekonomie, kredietverlening en nuwe voertuigverkope, is hierdie week bekend gemaak, maar dit is nie so maklik om te interpreteer wat hulle aandui nie.

The results of the quarterly labour force survey of the first quarter of 2021 were announced yesterday. Unemployment according to the narrow definition rose to 32.6%. According to the broad definition, the unemployment rate is 43.2%. News of a record unemployment rate may sound shocking, but the changes from the fourth quarter are actually small and may even be somewhat interesting if one investigates further.

Die resultate van die kwartaalikse arbeidsmagopname van die eerste kwartaal van 2021 is gister bekend gemaak. Werkloosheid volgens die eng definisie het tot 32,6% gestyg. Volgens die uitgebreide definisies is die werkloosheidskoers 43,2%. Nuus van ʼn rekord-werkloosheidskoers klink dalk skokkend, maar die veranderinge vanaf die vierde kwartaal is eintlik klein en selfs dalk ʼn bietjie interessant as mens nader ondersoek instel.

Yesterday was the deadline to finalize the constitutional amendment bill on expropriation without compensation, but it appears that the process will be extended again. The process is a source of policy uncertainty.

Gister was die sperdatum om die grondwetwysingswetsontwerp oor onteiening sonder vergoeding te finaliseer, maar dit blyk dat die proses verleng gaan word. Die proses is 'n bron van beleidsonsekerheid.

This week starts with a new level-2 lockdown and a lot of economic data to look forward to.

Hierdie week begin met ʼn nuwe vlak-2 inperking en ʼn klomp ekonomiese data om na uit te sien.

This week there were excited reports in the media that the e-tolling system in Gauteng will soon be scrapped. Thereafter, the presidency said that no such decision has been made yet. I understand that no one like e-toll, but how do we want to pay for infrastructure investment in the future?

Hierdie week was daar opgewonde berigte in die media dat die e-tol stelsel in Gauteng binnekort geskrap gaan word. Daarna het die presidensie gesê dat daar nog nie so besluit geneem is nie. Ek verstaan dat niemand is lief vir e-tol nie, maar hoe wil ons in die toekoms vir infrastruktuur-investering betaal?