Melanie Labuschagne

My least favourite thing about South Africa is how we have an expanded youth unemployment rate of over 60% and a poverty headcount at nearly 30% but pundits and political debates are centred on... *checks notes*... the race and gender of political leaders. Not what party has the best policies to grow the economy. Not what party has the best track record for creating jobs. Not what party delivers infrastructure projects. Not what party has expanded social services to the most vulnerable. It's so regressive. It's so dangerous for our democracy. It's a bright neon signpost of just how utterly immature and basic South African punditry and politics can be.

This logic only works if some law handed down from the heavens says that "every human phenomenon must be proportionally represented". This has never been true, and there is no normative reason to believe it should be made true. Women clearly feel "represented" by the men they vote for, and in many cases men feel "represented" by the women they vote for. "Under/over-representation" is clearly an academic concern only.

Oh…

We are very likely going to be hit with a number of external economic shocks, and the SA gov is going to have to rethink the basis for its budget this year. The revised 'inflation target' is a complete pipe dream.

The blockade always made more sense than seizing Kharg Island. It stops Iran’s exports, its revenues, is a counterpoint to their closing the Straits. They may attack Gulf oil facilities but it puts greater pressure on Iran. It also puts great pressure on China to pressure Iran.

President Donald Trump has just announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by the US Navy. This follows the failure of negotiations between the US and Iran. The US will now also prevent any Iranian ships from passing through the strait. The potential for escalation increases with Trump today committing to carry out major attacks on Iran should US naval ships be targeted by Iran's military.

Farmers and local farm shops are using social media to sell their food. Supermarkets pay them pittance for their food and a vindictive government punishes them. So they are taking the matter into their own hands and trying to sell direct via social media. Support our farmers.

Different countries, same ideology caused this.

None of the new DA leaders elected at the Federal Congress are above the age of 45

The ANC and MK and EFF are cut from the same cloth. Vote for them at own peril

Great article . If you are a South African investor with money offshore , I hope your wealth manager understands these issues .

theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-int… “Following your actions, Kimberly Milne reached a point of despair, such that she climbed over the barrier of a road bridge and fell to her death,” she said. Milne showed no emotion as he was led from the dock.

Each time we visit my mother in law’s grave in Ibadan, I see the headstone of a South African Air Force officer in front of her’s. Lt. Pieter de Jager Fritz, a 22-year-old pilot, died in 1941. I know the Commonwealth keeps meticulous grave records, so I decided to research.

The South African government's 2% inflation figure is pure statistical manipulation. You can't double the cost of groceries, fuel, and rent while claiming price stability with a straight face. They exclude food and energy from "core" inflation calculations, exactly what families spend 60% of their income on(😂). Meanwhile, the government is running billions in deficits, then acts surprised when your purchasing power evaporates. Every central bank plays this game. They redefine inflation, manipulate baskets, and substitute quality for quantity. Your lived experience of doubled prices tells the real story their cooked numbers try to hide. Literally everything you can buy in this country has doubled in price since 2022, yet the official cumulative inflation number is 6.5%. Who believes this bullshit??

On Monday a 3 year old was raped in Muizenberg graveyard and she is fighting for her life at Red Cross hospital. Not even an animal is so cruel?! How can this happen?

1/6 SARS is celebrating “record” tax of over R2T this year. That’s not a profit number, it’s a very large debit order on the real economy. #SARS #Tax #SouthAfrica 2/6 Since 1994, SARS has collected tens of trillions of rand in tax. The real question isn’t how much was collected, but what the country looks like after that money leaves households and businesses. #Economy #PublicFinance 3/6 In a low‑growth, high‑unemployment environment, record tax collection isn’t automatically a success story. It can just mean you’re squeezing the same orange harder while the orange itself is getting smaller. #Growth #Jobs 4/6 When you look at a country’s finances, you don’t just ask “how much did we collect?”. You also ask: what happened to investment, productivity, and the condition of public assets and services? #BalanceSheet #Investment 5/6 If most of your revenue is tax, with little coming from dividends, asset returns or a growing tax base, it suggests you’re funding today by leaning heavily on the same taxpayers, not by making the pie bigger. #FiscalHealth #Sustainability 6/6 South Africa doesn’t only need better tax collection. It needs stronger growth, better use of existing funds, and a healthier national balance sheet so the orange itself gets bigger, even if the squeeze stays the same. #SouthAfrica #Budget #Economics

Yes, all the benefits of paying tax.

Fun facts. 3,200 ships are backlogged awaiting passage through the Strait of Hormuz. 800 oil tankers; the rest are cargo ships. 🚢 War insurance is up 33x for tankers and cargo ships. Global impact: $3.2 billion daily.

You won't believe which countries are in favor of this bullshit. Finland 🇫🇮, Switzerland 🇨🇭 Austria 🇦🇹, Netherlands 🇳🇱 Australia 🇦🇺, Germany 🇩🇪 Norway 🇳🇴, Canada 🇨🇦 France 🇫🇷, United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Disgraceful.