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Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Photo: Madelene Cronje

Godongwana ‘will be just fine’

The new finance minister has a difficult task, but analysts say his political capital will help him hold a hard line on state spending

Hard choices: President Cyril Ramaphosa visits Pampierstad (above) during the ANC’s 108th anniversary celebrations. In Kimberley, about 100km away, he spoke of the poverty, which mirrors South Africa’s ‘inability to transform the economy in the past 25 years’. (Masi Losi)

A chance to ‘reimagine South Africa’

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to announce the government’s long-awaited economic stimulus plan to deal with the effects of Covid-19. The key will be getting loans for a…

File photo by Delwyn Verasamy/M&G

An unprecedented crisis: The economic ramifications of Covid-19

The ways in which we respond to the coronavirus pandemic will determine the world that greets us when we emerge from lockdown

Moody’s rating agency

South Africa has been junked

Treasury says the credit ratings downgrade “could not have come at a worse time”, as country enters a 21-day Covid-19 lockdown with little money saved up

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. (David Harrison/M&G)

We must stamp out illicit trade to boost the fiscus

The fiscus loses millions each day because of illicit trade. Sars can’t tackle this problem alone: it is up to all citizens to play their part

Moody’s rating agency

Moody’s axe likely to fall on ordinary South Africans

The ratings agency is scheduled to announce its decision on a possible downgrade of SA credit worthiness on March 27

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said he had hoped for a different outcome, but acknowledged the rating action by Moody’s with a heavy heart. (Reuters)

SA escapes Moody’s junk guillotine — for now

South Africa’s credit rating outlook is revised from stable to negative, but not downgraded to junk status at this stage

Victim of circumstance: Chiman Patel has thrown in the towel amid racial divisions in the province. Photo: Tebogo Letsie

Junked if you do, junked if you don’t

Not even a Ramaphosa win can resolve problems in the short term, making a downgrade likely

The ITB administers nearly three million hectares of tribal land in KwaZulu-Natal on behalf of King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, its sole trustee.

Global credit ratings agency has downgraded South Africa to junk status

S&P Global has downgraded SA’s credit rating to full junk status, while its counterpart Moody’s has placed the country on review for downgrade.

Namibia and Swaziland could be hardest hit should South Africa’s economy take a knock from further credit rating downgrades. Lesotho and Botswana will also be hurt. Photo: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

‘Junk’ SA will hurt its neighbours

The customs union nations have a lot to lose if SA’s economy stalls and inflation and prices rise.

(Delwyn Verasamy)

Pay off your debts and cut your costs

You can’t do anything about the current crisis so focus on what you can do, analysts advise.