Economic activity dips in September as fuel prices threaten outlook

South Africa’s economy showed early signs of a modest quarterly recovery, despite a monthly decline in economic activity in September 2026, according to the latest PayInc Economic Index. However, rising fuel prices driven by renewed tensions in the Middle East...

Surge in election-related deepfakes

New Surfshark research identifies 235 election-related deepfake incidents reported by news media across 46 countries with a combined population of 4,2-billion. The US accounts for 87 of them, or 37% of the global total. The earliest election deepfake incidents...

Why SMEs fail: Lessons from the experts

Widely cited research by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) estimates that between 70% and 80% of small businesses in South Africa fail within their first five years. But perhaps more tellingly, the same research found that approximately 40% of the success of...

The funding challenges facing African businesses

Black-owned and black-led businesses across five African markets face a funding gap of $209-billion, according to a new report from British International Investment (BII) and Swedfund. The report – Understanding the investment gaps in black-owned and -led businesses...

Managing recurring costs as household expenses continue to climb

South Africans already cutting discretionary spending are facing another round of pressure from higher borrowing costs and a sharp fuel price increase in October, putting greater focus on recurring household expenses that can be reduced more structurally, says Abraham...