Star 2026-02-11

South Africa’s economic resilience is being tested by rising trade frictions with the United States, intensifying competition from Asia, and a rapidly shifting global order that is fragmenting long-standing trade relationships, according to Standard Bank chief economist Goolam Ballim. This comes as South Africa's trade relations with the US, its third largest trading partner after China and the European Union, have become strained over an ongoing diplomatic fallout. During a presentation on the economic outlook for 2026 on Tuesday, Ballim said restricted access to the American market was already proving damaging for key sectors of the economy. “I cannot deny that not accessing the United States market as liberally as we did in the past is problematic,” Ballim said, pointing to the depth and growth of US consumer demand. “America’s…

Mines need to plan economic development other than mining for their nearby communities, because mines will all, eventually close, said Anglo American Corporate Affairs Senior Vice President Nivashne Naicker. Speaking at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Tuesday, she announced the launch of a R100 million initiative by the group's Impact Finance Network (IFN) platform, working with the Impact Finance Facility organisation, and a R50m additional contribution from Anglo American subsidiary Kumba Iron Ore, to finance suitable entrepreneurs and SME's, outside of mining. Some R50m of the funds are being ringfenced for communities around Kumba's mine in the Northern Cape. Many speakers at the Mining Indaba have this year focused on the need for mines to invest outside of their normal social investment strategies, and operating and capital expenditures,…

South Africa’s agricultural export prospects are gaining momentum following the signing of new trade agreements with China and South Korea, a development that could help the sector diversify markets and unlock new growth opportunities, according to the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz). The positive outlook follows the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s (the dtic) conclusion of the China–Africa Economic Partnership Agreement (CAEPA), alongside a separate agreement by the Department of Agriculture granting South Africa market access to export fresh table grapes to the Republic of Korea. The dtic said last week that Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and China’s Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, signed a Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Prosperity. Negotiations on an Early Harvest Agreement are expected to be concluded…

Infrastructure investor acquires low-cost carrier with a thrust on growth opportunities Low-cost carrier FlySafair’s acquisition by pan-African infrastructure investor Harith General Partners has placed the airline on the cusp of expanded growth opportunities across the continent, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and deeper commercial links with Europe, analysts said on Tuesday. The transaction comes as FlySafair seeks further regulatory clearance from aviation authorities over its foreign ownership structure, ahead of a 29 March deadline set by licensing councils. The airline, about 75% owned by Irish Aviation group ASL Holdings, has insisted the motivation for the transaction was not initiated in response to the findings by the Air Services Licensing Council. Instead, it said the deal will not have any bearing on the outcomes and matters under…

The 30th Raging Bull Awards will be held on Friday at the CTICC, celebrating the best unit trust funds in the investment industry. Ahead of the ceremony, previous winners reflected on how the accolade has shaped their businesses and strategies. Citadel: South African Manager of the Year 2025 Citadel Asset Management was named South African Manager of the Year at the 2025 Raging Bull Awards, a recognition that came during a period of global uncertainty. The firm’s disciplined approach to risk and its long-term investment philosophy set it apart from competitors. Chief investment officer George Herman says the company’s strength lies in its ability to ignore short-term market noise: “We look beyond immediate cycles. Our role is to stay invested in our long-term strategy, which gives us stability in an…

South Africa is currently walking a high-stakes tightrope. As we enter February 2026, the agricultural sector faces a perfect storm where domestic animal health emergencies and international trade politics have become inextricably linked. On one side, we have the Department of Agriculture’s ambitious 10-year strategy to combat Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) – an R80 billion battle for the survival of our national herd. On the other hand, we still face looming uncertainty regarding our eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) post 2026 – despite US President Donald Trump’s recent renewal. While these two challenges often dominate separate headlines, they are two sides of the same coin. AGOA may be the "ticket" that makes our exports financially viable through duty-free access, but our FMD-free status is the "passport" that…