Risk Alert

Risk Alert

The Risk Alert is a weekly two-page analysis of emerging political and economic risks. It provides guidance on how topical events, both locally and globally, will influence South Africa’s business and investment environment. The Risk Alert, presented in both PDF and audio formats, is published every Monday morning, — helping CRA clients to begin each week armed with the latest analysis of key events.

Risk Alert | SA's declining competitiveness

12 July 2021 - In this week's exclusive client Risk Alert, Frans Cronje and Bheki Mahlobo discuss South Africa’s worsening global competitiveness rankings.

Publication description

They argue that this lack of competitiveness is manifested across a variety of key areas, including mining policy and education standards.

Cronje and Mahlobo conclude by providing a short-, medium- and long-term assessment of the global economy and the implications for South Africa.

Risk Alert | The Jacob Zuma factor

5 July 2021 - In this week's exclusive client Risk Alert, Frans Cronje, Bheki Mahlobo and Simpe Jonas discuss the ongoing uncertainty around former President Jacob Zuma’s arrest.

Publication description

What risk does this pose to the rule of law in South Africa, they ask?

Cronje, Mahlobo and Jonas also assess the fragile state of South Africa’s economic recovery and look abroad to identify emerging risks in Afghanistan, Iran, China and Taiwan. 

Risk Alert | The Delta variant and harsher lockdowns for SA

28 June 2021 - In this week's exclusive client Risk Alert, Frans Cronje and Bheki Mahlobo discuss the new Lockdown restrictions announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last night.

Publication description

How will the highly contagious Delta variant change the trajectory of the pandemic in South Africa, they ask?

Cronje and Mahlobo also explore the small, but growing calls for reform coming from within the ANC. 

Risk Alert | Two swallows do not a summer make

In this week's exclusive client Risk Alert, Frans Cronje and Bheki Mahlobo discuss the significance of last week’s majority sale of South African Airways to a private buyer, as well as government’s lifting of the cap on private electricity generation to 100MW.

Publication description

Do these developments herald a broader shift in the direction of policy towards reform, they ask?

Cronje and Mahlobo also flag the risk of global tax floors to the competitiveness of Western economies.

Risk Alert | The ANC’s attack on foreign businesses

In this week's exclusive client Risk Alert, Frans Cronje and Bheki Mahlobo discuss the significance of moves aimed at restricting foreign-owned business activity in South Africa, including Netflix and Burger King.

Publication description

Cronje and Mahlobo also dissect the supposed ‘spat’ between the ANC and the EFF over Expropriation Without Compensation.

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize is in trouble, with rumours of his imminent resignation. Should he depart from the Cabinet, what will be the implications of his exit, they ask?

Risk Alert | Was Covid-19 cooked up in a lab?

31 May 2021 - In this week's exclusive client Risk Alert, Bheki Mahlobo and Frans Cronje discuss the ongoing effects of Covid-19 in South Africa and the world.

Publication description

Is vaccine resistance growing in the West, and did the virus originate from a Chinese laboratory, as new evidence suggests?

Why did Big Tech companies withhold this information from users of their platforms, and what is the risk of continued digital censorship, they ask?