Global Scans · South Africa · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Local elections in South Africa this year could see the ruling African National Congress lose control of key cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria for the first time. South Africa's economy is at risk of falling into recession and public confidence in the ANC is falling.

• [New] The experiences of markets as diverse as New Zealand, Panama, Ireland, Italy, and South Africa demonstrate that while regulatory structures differ, the underlying challenge is universal: how to enable growth in mortgage lending while mitigating evolving fraud risk. FinExtra
• [New] Financial institutions in South Africa face increased pressure to act preemptively by authenticating identities earlier in the payment lifecycle and screening transactions for fraud risks. IT-Online
• [New] Countries such as India, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, and Ethiopia are expected to add the most total beverage alcohol volumes between 2024 and 2029. Vinetur
• [New] Almost every public TVET college in South Africa that offers Engineering Studies will have a T2 intake. APS Score
• [New] The South African Reserve Bank will likely cut interest rates three more times before ending its current easing cycle. Polity.org.za
• [New] South Africa will continue to support conflict prevention and peace keeping efforts of the United Nations, African Union and SADC. DIRCO
• [New] By Saturday, provinces including the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape in South Africa could record fairly widespread rainfall totals of 80-100 mm as a result of heavy showers or thunderstorms, with daily rainfall totals perhaps reaching 50 mm where storms are particularly intense. The Guardian
• South Africa's formal pork value chain is beset by a range of major challenges that are anticipated to impact supply for at least the next 15 to 17 weeks. African farming
• In South Africa, fiber and FWA are expanding rapidly, with fixed subscriptions set to grow at an 8.1% CAGR to 13.1 million by 2029. PwC
• Already, the South African Weather Service has issued warnings and advisories for severe thunderstorms through the first half of this week with a risk of excessive lightning, gusty winds, and hail. The Guardian
• Mining exploration in South Africa requires immediate coordinated intervention to address systemic challenges threatening long-term economic stability. Discovery Alert
• An Early Harvest Agreement eliminating Chinese tariffs on South African exports is expected by end of March. The Rio Times
• South Africa's dependence on mineral exports creates systemic economic risk without robust exploration pipelines. Discovery Alert
• South Africa's mineral wealth remains substantial, yet systematic barriers prevent effective exploration campaigns from reaching their potential. Discovery Alert
• The key catalyst for a new rally would be the continuation of supply disruptions in South Africa, which represents roughly 70% of global output, or a resurgence in investment demand. Ainvest
• South African production, which represents roughly 70% of global output, remains constrained by chronic underinvestment and operational disruptions. Ainvest
• Of significance, its key Waterberg project in South Africa - with a measured and indicated resource of 33.8 million ounces and projected annual production of 350,000 ounces of platinum, palladium, gold, and rhodium - is being advanced, with an updated feasibility study recently released. (02/05/26) Top Pick 2026: Platinum Group Metals Ltd. (P
• Rapid growth in data centers across South Africa and Kenya, expected to consume over 21 TWh by 2030, reinforces demand visibility, while highlighting challenges around grid capacity, project bankability, and policy stability. Passle
• Nuclear development in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa's planned 10 GW expansion further diversifies the energy opportunity set, though it carries execution and regulatory risks. Passle

Last updated: 24 February 2026