New initiatives to combat the crisis

south Africa’s GDP looks set to contract by 8% in 2020. In an ideal scenario, we would see a sharp V-shaped recovery in 2021, resulting in an expansion of 8% or more. For this to occur, we need two things.

Firstly, we need a return of confidence. Remember, SA entered the Covid-19 pandemic in recession. A decade of former president Jacob Zuma’s economic mismanagement means that private sector fixed investment has been contracting since 2014. To boost confidence, we need to see three or four tangible reforms (not just