December 2025

19 December 2025 – The latest data from Stats SA on liquidations in South Africa shows that another 126 businesses were liquidated in November, taking the total to 1,434 for the year so far. The number of liquidations in November was down two cases from October, and down 1.6% from November 2024 (also 128 cases). […]

18 December 2025 – South Africa’s poultry industry is increasingly exposed to global trade politics, with renewed uncertainty around the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) compounding pressures from rising input costs, disease risks and weak consumer demand. In its annual report for the year to end-September, Astral Foods said uncertainty over Agoa and US

17 December 2025 – The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) has reported that its Business Confidence Index (BCI) has improved significantly between September and November, from 121.1 to 132.3. The November BCI was also 14.2 index points higher than in November 2024. This follows the last notable large year-on-year increase of 17.1

15 December 2025 – As 2025 draws to a close, South Africa’s logistics sector finds itself at a familiar crossroads: real progress in some areas, stubborn blockages in others, and a nagging sense that the country is still paying dearly for years of neglect during the state capture era. The year delivered landmark deals, including

12 December 2025 – With the 2026 wine grape harvest approaching, all eyes remain on late-season conditions and fruit development, but industry body South Africa Wine says South Africa’s vineyards appear well-positioned to deliver another stable, quality-driven crop. “South Africa’s wine industry enters the 2026 harvest season with renewed confidence, as the first official crop estimate from private and

11 December 2025 – The decline in US import cargo volumes at the nation’s major ports, due to the impact of tariff adjustments and ongoing trade policy uncertainty, is expected to continue in 2026. This is according to the latest Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. “Stores are stocked

9 December 2025 – As the world increasingly seeks quality, sustainably produced goods, South African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are presented with a golden opportunity to tap into the international market. Nelson Teixeira, managing director of operations for Sub-Saharan Africa at FedEx, highlights that 2026 could be a pivotal year for these emerging businesses

5 December 2025 – In 2025, the ocean freight market has been defined by politically driven cargo front-loading ahead of potential tariff changes, the ongoing disruption of the Red Sea crisis and a historically large vessel orderbook entering the water. Demand surged early, carriers capitalised on scarcity, and shippers scrambled to keep pace with shifting

4 December 2025 – Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation of Africa (CGIC), who has specialised broker agreements with Prestige Credit Insurance, says care is at the heart of everything they do. They understand that every credit decision affects more than just the balance sheet, it impacts businesses, families, and livelihoods across South Africa’s agricultural value chain.

3 December 2025 – While shipping prices are currently on a downward trajectory as congestion at ports eases, volatility is set to remain the norm as climate change starts to impact shipping routes and efficiencies. This is expected to increase export risk, which comes at a cost. Five years of black swan events Since 2020,