South Africa, Feb. 4 -- At the core of this certainty deficit lie geo-economic shifts, geopolitical battles, climate volatility, trade protectionism, and energy price shocks - amongst other issues.

The global economy

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Economic Outlook 2025 has projected a global economic contraction from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.2% in 2025 and 3.1% in 2026. The IMF largely attributes this reduction to a prolonged certainty deficit, protectionism and labour supply shocks.

In a clarion call to policymakers, the report advocates for restoration of confidence through credible, transparent and sustainable policies.

The South African economy

Compared to countries like Germany, Brazil and Japan, South Africa is a relative...