A global transition to sustainable development is under way and strengthening as a response to multiple socio-environmental crises, including the global impacts of climate change. From a trade and industrial perspective, this transition has implications on the composition and dynamics of entire value chains. This concerns what inputs are accessed, the…

Main Bulletin: The Real Economy Bulletin - Second Quarter 2020 In this edition The GDP: As expected, the GDP dropped sharply, by 16% in seasonally adjusted terms, in the quarter ending in June 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic activity crashed in April, during the strict Level 5 of the lockdown. The gradual relaxation in restrictions since then have seen a bounce back to near pre-pandemic levels. Still, COVID-19 continues to pose a threat, limiting recovery especially in tourism and recreational services even in the absence of regulations. Moreover, long-standing structural challenges and declines in major trading partners will…

Press release 12 June 2025: TIPS Fact Sheet: Do the official data adequately report on the informal sector and joblessness?

Press release 15 May 2025: South Africa’s First Worker-Led Just Transition Labour Centre Officially Launched

Press release 15 April 2025: Fact sheet: The condition of small business, 2024

Press release 4 April 2025: Fact sheet: Implications of US tariffs for South Africa

Press release 23 October 2024: Second-hand Clothing Exports: A blessing or curse?

Press release 31 July 2024: Empowering Local Green Entrepreneurs: The Key to Combating Climate Change in South Africa

Press release 9 November 2023: Just transition labour centre for South African trade unions

Press release 17 April 2023: Industry stakeholders gather in South Africa to map decarbonisation challenges and opportunities in the iron and steel value chain

Press release 28 November 2022: Green Economy Bulletin 2002: South Africa has some way to go to meet its sustainability commitments

Press release 15 August 2022: Designing climate-compatible industrial strategies for South Africa: The textiles value chain

Press release 26 July 2022: Towards a Just Transition: the role of Industrial policy

Press release: 21 June 2022: TIPS marks 25 years of supporting policy development through research and dialogue

Press release: 8 June 2022: Some tough conversations needed to address the transition in the liquid fuel value chain

Press release: 24 April 2022: Documentary Launch: Voices from under a dark cloud – towards a just transition in the coalfields of South Africa 

Press release: 7 April 2022: We need to throw our green hat in the ring - call to South African exporters

Press release 28 March 2020: Unpacking the Just Transition in practice

Press release 16 March 2022: Industrial policy in practice: Central to driving structural transformation in Africa 

Press release 11 March 2022: Trade and industrial policy experts give their voice to the launch of the APORDE Alumni Network

Press release 18 February 2022: Is South Africa on track in terms of its Green Economy Recovery objectives

Press release 1 December 2021: Effective structures required for engagement and public participation to achieve a Just Transition

Press release 27 November 2021: Financing the Just Transition puts a spotlight on financial institutions

Press release 11 November 2021: The European Union’s Green Deal (EGD): A call to action for South African exporters

Press release 4 August 2021: Dealing with the crisis before the crisis requires economic reconstruction

For more information on the TIPS Forum 2021 go to http://forum.tips.org.za/forum-2021

Press release 31 July 2021: Rethinking industrialisation in response to COVID-19

For more information on the TIPS Forum 2021 go to http://forum.tips.org.za/forum-2021

Press release 23 July 2021: The transition away from coal is inevitable – a delay could cause more damage

A copy of the research report The coal value chain in South Africa is available here

Press release 24 June 2021: Real SME support critical to an economic recovery plan

More about the TIPS webinar: Post DOVID-19 recovery and small business available here

Press reslease 13 June 2021: Freeing up electricity could boost economic growth

A copy of The Real Economy Bulletin Q1 2021 is available here

Press release 7 June 2021: Tangible plans for economic diversification critical to a just transition in Mpumalanga

More about the TIPS webinar: People's Voices: Key priorities and challenges for a Just Transition in Emalahleni and Steve Tshwete available here

Press release 24 May 2021: South Africa’s manufacturing sector gets a boost of foreign direct investment

A copy of the TIPS FDI Tracker Q3 and Q4 is available here

Press release 19 May 2021: COVID-19 leaves SADC poor worse off

More about the TIPS Webinar: The economic impact of COVID-10 on SADC available here

Press release 3 March 2021: Lithium-ion batteries offer an electrifying opportunity for South Africa

Copies of the research report and policy brief on Opportunities to develop the lithium-ion battery value chain in South Africa available here

Press release 24 February 2021: We need a different approach - TIPS response to the 2021 budget

Press release 23 February 2021: Green hydrogen - potential new export for South Africa

A copy of the research report Green hydrogen: A potential export commodity in a new global marketplace is available here

Press release 17 February 2021: Building blocks for a just transition in place

More about the TIPS Webinar: Unravelling South Africa's Just Transition: Unpacking cross-cutting interventions is available here

Press release 15 February 2021: Promoting green entrepreneurship - what are the stumbling blocks?

For more information about the Green Entrepreneur Research Survey go to online survey

Press release 8 February 2021: SA exports on the up

A copy of the TIPS Export Tracker Q3 2020 is available here

Press release 10 December 2020: Second wave and cuts to COVID-19 relief are main threats to economic recovery

A copy of The Real Economy Bulletin Q3 2020 is available here

Press release 3 December: Financing a just transition requires a rethink of financing mechanisms

More about the TIPS Webinar: Unravelling South Africa's Just Transition: Unpacking financial options is available here

Press release 17 November 2020: A long road to transition to a green economy

More about the TIPS Webinar: Unravelling South Africa's Just Transition: Unpacking the energy-level impacts is available here 

Press release 3 November 2020:  Exploring measures to reduce the impact of climate change on the SA economy

More about the TIPS Webinar: Unravelling South Africa's Just Transition: Unpacking the ground-level impacts in the coal value chain is available here

Press release 27 October 2020: Government moves to strengthen its industrial capacity by boosting the ferrochrome industry 

A copy of the policy brief A chrome export tax: An important intervention to support industrial development in South Africa is available here.

Press release 6 October 2020: Growth in SA exports to China. 

A copy of the TIPS Export Tracker Q2 2020 is available here.

Press release 10 September 2020: Data shows significant recovery from April downturn in GDP. 

A copy of The Real Economy Bulletin Q2 2020 is available here.

ESI Africa - 7 September 2020 by Babalwa Bungane

Read online at ESI Africa.

Bizcommunity - 9 September 2020

Read online at Bizcommunity.

Radio France International (RFI) - 10 September 2020 by Claire Bargelès

Read online at Radio France International (RFI).

South Africa, a carbon-intensive economy, has initiated a transition to a more sustainable development pathway. While this is centred on the energy sector, the transition is an economy-wide transformation. In a highly unequal society like South Africa, the need for a just transition which would empower vulnerable stakeholders has…

South Africa had a trade surplus of R30 billion in the second quarter of 2020, up from R4 billion in the second quarter of 2019. Generally, South African trade performs better in the second quarter of the year, compared to the first quarter. With the exception of 2012 to 2014, there…

Business Times (Sunday Times) - 13 September 2020 by Hilary Joffe

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Business Day - 14 September 2020 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)

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This TIPS tracker highlights important trends in the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, and how they affect the economy. It analyses publically available data, research and media reports to identify current developments and reflect on the prognosis for the contagion, the economy, and policy responses. Over the next few months,…

This policy brief aims to lay the ground for a just transition in South Africa’s metals value chain as it pertains to climate change only. It contributes to understanding: a) the nature of the impacts facing the value chain; b) the characteristics of the stakeholders at risks (namely workers, communities…

This TIPS tracker highlights important trends in the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, and how they affect the economy. It analyses publically available data, research and media reports to identify current developments and reflect on the prognosis for the contagion, the economy, and policy responses. Since the pandemic and the…

The second quarter of 2020 saw a strong decline in exports, combined with an even stronger slump in imports as international trade slowed down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several sectors, however, particularly agriculture and parts of mining, were able to increase exports over the quarter. Stringent COVID-19 containment measures…

Professor Faizel Ismail is the Director at the Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town and a TIPS Research Fellow. His book provides a critical analysis of the US-led reform proposals and builds a discourse around an alternative set of principles for the multilateral trading system based on fairness, solidarity, social justice, inclusiveness, and sustainability. Published by South Centre with support from TIPS, download here.

Business Day - 22 September 2020 by Gray Maguire 

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Business Day - 28 September 2020 by Neva Makgetla (TIPS Senior Economist)

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RESPONSE TO COLUMN

Letter in Business Day - 30 September 2020

Read online at Business Day.

Daily Maverick - 29 September 2020  by Gaylor Montmasson-Clair

Read online at Daily Maverick