Chris Hattingh
Chris Hattingh is Executive Director at the Centre for Risk Analysis.
Articles By This Author
South Africa cannot subsidise its way to prosperity
Earlier this week trade, industry, and competition minister Parks Tau told Parliament that South Africa “cannot compete in the world of the future using the tools of the past.” While he was correct on that score, he neglected to mention that his department is reaching for those exact same tools.
One private security officer per 91 citizens: what that number tells you
Every year, South Africans absorb another batch of crime statistics, shake their heads, and move on.
The R1.8 trillion question
In his 18 May 2026 newsletter President Cyril Ramaphosa included the following statistic: South Africa’s non-financial companies are sitting on R1.8 trillion in cash reserves. The President’s appeal to the private sector is this: deploy that capital, invest locally, and help close the yawning gap between conference pledges and real economic activity.
Don’t save Ramaphosa to avoid something worse
There is a particular kind of political cowardice that presents itself as strategic wisdom. It goes like this: yes, the current leader is problematic but removing him might produce something worse. ‘Better the devil you know.’
South Africa’s fiscal tightrope: who is really paying the bill?
Every year, South Africa’s national budget arrives with fanfare and political theatre. But once the speeches fade, what the numbers actually reveal is a story that deserves far more sustained public attention than it typically receives.
When the room goes quiet: why SA cannot afford multilateral illusions
This week the African Union convened a Strategic Retreat in Malabo to prepare for the 2026 US G20 Presidency. The agenda is ambitious: lessons from South Africa’s G20 Presidency, positioning Africa under Agenda 2063, building a unified continental voice. The language is confident, and the symbolism is rich.
SA education: the bill is due
South Africa spends more on education than on anything else. According to National Treasury, education claims 23.2% of consolidated expenditure over the medium term: the single largest share of the budget. And yet, at every stage of the pipeline, the system fails the young South Africans it is supposed to serve.
The fly in the MTBPS ointment
South Africa’s economy is not growing fast enough. This is the key take-away from the 2025 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) delivered last Wednesday
The ongoing tariff dance
Tariff threats have proved a favourite tool of US President Donald Trump as his administration continues to rework US trading relationships and the global trade
SA dithers while global trade shifts
Amidst the US-generated trade turmoil, Chinese president Xi Jinping announced last week that “zero-tariff treatment for 100% tariff lines” would be accorded to all 53