2024 vehicle sales decline, despite late-year recovery

December vehicle sales in South Africa rose for the third consecutive month, increasing by 2,5% compared to December 2023. This growth was primarily driven by an 8,2% rise in passenger car sales, with the rental industry continuing to play a significant role in the...

December sees manufacturing decline, but optimism for the future

The seasonally adjusted Absa PMI declined by 1.9 points to 46.2 in December, remaining in contractionary territory. This places the 2024 Q4 average PMI at 49 points, only slightly below 2024 Q3 (49.8 points) but above Q1 (47.8) and Q2 (48.1). While the manufacturing...
Upskilling will be needed to fill 78m new job opportunities

Upskilling will be needed to fill 78m new job opportunities

Job disruption will equate to 22% of jobs by 2030, with 170-million new roles set to be created and 92-million displaced, resulting in a net increase of 78-million jobs, according to the Future of Jobs Report 2025 published by the World Economic Forum. Technological...

Meta cans third-party fact checking

Meta plans to end its third-party fact-checking programme, replacing it with Community Notes by contributing platform users. This is the word from Joel Kaplan, chief global affairs officer at Meta, who says the systems to manage or gatekeep content have become...

Blockchain set for meteoric growth

Few industries can match the explosive growth of the tech market. From artificial intelligence and semiconductors to robotics, cloud computing, and IoT, these sectors are all poised for impressive expansion in the coming years. However, none can rival blockchain, the...

Global co-operation at a crossroads amid rising geopolitical uncertainty

The World Economic Forum’s Global Cooperation Barometer offers a critical assessment of the state of global cooperation, showing a world grappling with heightened competition and conflict, while also identifying various areas where leaders can drive progress through...