The Bureau of Market Research (BMR) and the University of South Africa (UNISA) conducted an opinion poll among 36 top economists participating in the 2024 Economist of the Year competition to gather their expectations for the first half of 2025.

Key insights from the Opinion Poll are outlined below:

Positive Outlook for Early 2025:

• Economic improvement expected, driven by lower interest rates, reduced inflation, and stable electricity supply.
• Growth and confidence to benefit from political stability, structural reforms, stronger fiscal control, and improved infrastructure.
• Indicators such as a stronger Rand, reduced policy uncertainty, and potential credit rating upgrades highlight a favourable trajectory.

Persistent Challenges:

• Major hurdles include high crime, corruption, unemployment, weak governance, and infrastructure issues in electricity, water, and logistics.
• Economic growth is further strained by low investment, fiscal deficits, political instability, and global geopolitical tensions.

Recommendations for Growth:

• Strengthen government-business collaboration to drive investment, job creation, and economic growth.
• Households should reduce debt and increase savings, while the government focuses on fiscal discipline, service delivery, and pro-business reforms.
• Accelerating structural reforms and fostering public-private partnerships are critical for sustained stability and development.

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