March 2026

30 March 2026 – South African businesses are facing an immediate supply-chain shock following military strikes on Iran and escalating instability in the Gulf region, according to the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). Paul Vos, Regional Managing Director of CIPS Southern Africa, says procurement leaders must act within days, not weeks, as shipping […]

26 March 2026 – Globally, corporate insolvencies continued to rise in 2025, with the overall index for advanced economies estimated to be around 5% higher than in 2024 (chart 21). The Asia–Pacific region recorded the strongest increase, with insolvencies up by approximately 9% year on year, followed by Europe (8%) and North America (3%). Nevertheless,

25 March 2026 – South African freight service providers are going to extraordinary lengths to keep shipments into the Middle East flowing despite the impact of the current conflict on supply chain. The extent to which freight forwarders like JLOG International and cold-chain packaging innovators ESBD are going to sustain services doesn’t just speak of

24 March 2026 – US President Donald Trump has made tariffs a cornerstone of his economic policy, positioning them as a tool to reduce trade deficits and realign global commerce in favour of American industries. His administration has imposed duties on imports from nearly all major trading partners, with especially steep penalties on countries accused

23 March 2026 – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent a congratulatory message to Joao Lourenco, rotating African Union (AU) chairperson and Angolan president, and Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, chairperson of the AU Commission, extending warm congratulations to African countries and people over the 39th African Union Summit. In a changing and chaotic world, Xi Jinping reaffirmed China’s steadfast commitment

20 March 2026 – With the national poultry industry having grown to meet domestic demand including significant import replacement, the next logical step is to transition to exports, says South African Poultry Association (SAPA) CEO Izaak Breitenbach. This comes as the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) found in a study that South Africa

18 March 2026 – Since the start of 2026 South Africa’s manufacturing sector finds itself grappling with significant challenges brought on by declining demand and falling sales volumes. The latest Absa Manufacturing Survey, released by Absa Business Banking, for the first quarter indicates a troubling shift in sentiment, with the sector’s headline confidence index plummeting by

17 March 2026 – China is expected to maintain its status as the biggest supplier of South African imports in 2026, with strong demand for machinery and electronics expected to continue at around 21.5% of the total, or R413 billion, according to TradeInt. Official statistics reveal that India was the second-largest supplier at 7.4% (R143bn),

13 March 2026 – South Africa recorded its first current account surplus in more than two years in the final quarter of 2025, helped by rising precious metal prices, central bank data showed on Thursday. The current account switched to a surplus of 0.6% of GDP in the fourth quarter from a deficit of 0.9% in the

12 March 2026 -Several pressures are weighing on the sector. The continued spread of foot-and-mouth disease is placing immense financial strain on the cattle industry, while African swine fever remains a challenge for pig producers. At the same time, lower global prices for commodities such as sugar and wheat are adding further pressure on producers.