B2B Central

Cyril Ramaphosa

11 May 2022

President Ramaphosa opens Corobrik’s Kwastina factory

By Staff Writer

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the public sector and private business can come together to form productive partnerships which can accelerate South Africa’s economy and create jobs. The President was speaking at the opening of the Corobrik Kwastina Brick Manufacturing factory at Driefontein, in Gauteng, on Tuesday. Corobrik’s new R800 million Kwastina (‘Home of the Brick’)...
11 Feb 2022

SONA 2022: Key takeouts

By Staff Writer

Jeff Schultz, senior economist at BNP Paribas South Africa, sums up the 2022 State of the Nation Address.
26 Oct 2021

Why emerging markets have underperformed

By Staff Writer

Emerging markets have underperformed developed markets this year. On the equity side, the MSCI World Index has returned 19% in dollars in 2021, against the 2% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.
06 Aug 2021

Cabinet reshuffle: Appointments in key ministries viewed in positive light

By Staff Writer

On Thursday, 5 August, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a strategic change to nearly two thirds of his cabinet, which consists of 28 members. Added to these additions, a new finance, defence and health minister are amongst the titles that will see a change over.
25 Jul 2021

President Ramaphosa announces measures to support recovery of the economy

By Staff Writer

In his address this evening to update the country on the progress made in tackling the coronavirus pandemic, President Cyril Ramaphosa also announce a range of measures to support the recovery of the economy that has been negatively impacted not only by COVID-19, but also by the unrest and looting that recently hit KZN and Gauteng. These measures are intended to provide relief to the poor and to those who are vulnerable as a result of the measures that had to be imposed to deal with COVID-19.
15 Jul 2021

BUSA wants 24-hour curfew

By Staff Writer

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) is calling for implementation of 24-hour curfew, as well as the full deployment of army and police, including reserve forces. At a webinar today, BUSA said that the violence and damage to property that has overwhelmed parts of the country must be stopped immediately.

27 Jun 2021

Level 4 lockdown: Government had limited options

By Staff Writer

The broad realities faced by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s in seeking to strike the right balance between lives and livelihoods in coping with the current serious third wave and its Delta variant should be recognized. This is the opinion of Professor Raymond Parsons, economist at the NWU Business School.
27 Jun 2021

SA moves to Level 4 lockdown

By Staff Writer

President Cyril Ramaposa this evening moved South Africa to Level 4 lockdown to deal with the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Delta variant. "The evidence we have is that the Delta variant is rapidly displacing the Beta variant, which has been dominant in our country until now. We are concerned about the rapid spread of this variant," he said. 
26 Jun 2021

President Ramaphosa to address SA on Sunday evening

By Staff Writer

Today I attended the media briefing by the Acting Minister of Health, Mmamoloko Kubayi, together with a panel of experts, who provided an update on South Africa’s response to COVID-19 pandemic. The Delta variant is now dominant in SA. In response to my question, Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi confirmed that the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) had met today.
13 Feb 2021

SA president extends special COVID-19 grant: Why this is not enough

By Staff Writer

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a three month extension of a special R350 (US$24) a month COVID-19 grant for unemployed adults who do not receive any social grant or unemployment insurance. This comes as the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown continue to devastate the economy, entrenching extraordinarily high unemployment and poverty.

12 Feb 2021

Sona 2021: Agriculture celebrated, but effective implementation of policies lacking

By Staff Writer

The president presented arguably his most important State of the Nation Address (SONA) owing to the unprecedented global Covid-19 pandemic, says Christo van der Rheede, executive director of Agri SA. 
12 Feb 2021

Sona 2021: A progress report and a long to-do list

By Staff Writer

President Ramaphosa struck a hopeful chord in last night’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), framing 2021 as another year “…for change, progress and rebirth”, similar to the ‘new dawn’ of previous years. There was a commitment not to make ‘new’ promises, but rather to report on the progress made towards reviving the economy.