Ek het vroeer al gesels oor navorsing wat ekonome doen oor die beste maniere om behoeftige mense te help – spesifiek met sosiale toelaes.

We now know that the economy shrunk by 7% by 2020. But economists expect a strong recovery of growth in 2021. In the media, one reads that this is due to a technical base effect or a bungee cord rebound, but what does that mean?

Ons weet nou dat die ekonomie het in 2020 met 7% ingekrimp het. Maar ekonome verwag ʼn sterk opswaai in 2021. In die media lees mens dit is die gevolg van ʼn tegniese basis-effek of ‘n bungee-tou terugspring, maar wat beteken dit nou eintlik?

We know that the economy shrank in 2020, but the big question was, by how much? The fourth quarter's GDP figure was released yesterday and we now know what economic damage the pandemic and lockdown caused.

The number that should worry you is that the GDP per capita is now at the same level as in 2005.

Ons weet dat die ekonomie ingekrimp het in 2020, maar die groot vraag was, met hoeveel? Die vierde kwartaal se BBP syfer is gister bekend gemaak en ons weet nou hoe groot die skade van die pandemie en inperking was.

Die syfer wat jou sal laat skrik is dat BBP per capita nou op dieselfde vlak is as in 2005.

One often reads about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy and especially about the businesses that have been hit the hardest, such as hotels and restaurants and the wider tourism industry. But there are also interesting stories of unexpected winners.

Mens lees gereeld oor die impak van die Covid-19 pandemie op die ekonomie en veral oor die besighede wat die swaarste getref is, soos hotelle en restourante en die toerisme bedryf. Maar daar is ook interessante stories van onverwagse wenners.

This week's most important indicator is the Gross Domestic Product of the 4th quarter of 2020 and economists hope that the economy may have shrunk by less in 2020 than the initial forecast.

Hierdie week se belangrikste aanwyser is die Bruto Binnelandse Produk van die 4de kwartaal van 2020 en ekonome hoop dat die ekonomie dalk met minder gekrimp het in 2020 as wat aanvanklik voorspel is.

Last week, the SABC argued that TV licenses should be replaced by a levy on all households to pay for public broadcasting. The Gauteng provincial government said it is not right for the province's residents to pay e-tolls for their highways. In both cases, the argument was made that the TV and radio broadcasts and the highways are so-called public goods, but is this the case?