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The Distribution of Carbon Emissions Across South African Households.
Posted: 2021-Apr-15
Matthew Kensett (5 Min Read)
In this blog, I show that carbon emissions are unequally distributed across South African households. Rich South Africans emit between 2 to 4 times the national average. I highlight several important implications: Rich South Africans need to reduce their carbon emissions drastically; an increase in emissions by poorer households should not be misconstrued as a failure to meet our climate goals; and, if all South Africans are to enjoy the consumption levels of rich South Africans, it is necessary to transition to a low-carbon economy. Read Article
How does Rural-Urban Migration Influence the Risk of Depression?
Posted: 2021-Apr-12
Bianca Capazario (4 Min Read)
Rural-urban migration is an integral component of the development process. While it is important to understand the factors driving the mobility of people, exploring the consequences of this mobility are equally, if not more, crucial. While rural-urban migration is often associated with improved economic opportunities, the migration process may also present new mental health risks. These risks are often introduced through prolonged periods of elevated stress, isolation, and loneliness. The following blog reflects on the impact of rural-urban migration on the mental health of the sampled South African migrant group. Read Article
Effective implementation of the Border Management Authority for better trade
Posted: 2021-Mar-25
Siwapiwe Madubela and Lauralyn Kaziboni
South Africa is embarking on a journey of a centralised border authority. See what Siwapiwe Madubela and Lauralyn Kaziboni think this could mean for trade in South Africa Read Article
Understanding the (+ve and -ve) Effects of the Temporary Bans on Alcohol Sales in South Africa
Posted: 2021-Feb-18
Siwapiwe Madubela and Lauralyn Kaziboni (5 Min Read)
The temporary alcohol bans in South Africa has resulted in great controversy. The country has undergone three bans on the sale, dispensing, distribution and transportation of liquor since March 2020, equivalent to 15 weeks of zero sales. This article explores the costs and benefits associated with the alcohol sales bans, specifically looking at the health and economic aspects. Such a discussion is critical given the known social and health harms associated with alcohol consumption and the industry’s significant contribution towards revenue, jobs, and gross domestic product. Read Article
Programme communication: The why and how.
Posted: 2021-Jan-29
Alexandra Spyrelis (2 Min Read)
Implementers of social and development programmes are typically focused on the design and effective implementation of the programmes they manage, sometimes overlooking the necessity of programme communication or lacking the know how to do so. The following article briefly highlights the importance of communicating programmes and provides key tips for developing an effective communication plan. Read Article
The use of digital technology in fighting COVID-19: Reviewing South Africa’s public health response
Posted: 2021-Jan-27
Lutendo Maiwashe (2 Min Read)
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented one of the most formidable challenges in recent history to governments, businesses, and society. It has also highlighted the importance of digital technologies in public health systems. This blog looks at South Africa’s use of digital technologies in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Read Article
Trends in Consumer Financial Education in South Africa
Posted: 2020-Dec-11
Julita Ramsunder & Fatima Mathivha (3 Min Read)
There has been a significant effort among financial institutions to drive consumer financial education (CFE) programmes in line with the GN500 requirements. This blog undertakes an analysis across 14 banks and insurers and identifies four key trends in CFE programmes across target audience, delivery modes, monitoring and evaluation, and novel approaches. Financial institutions need to continue refining their CFE programmes to deliver the highest impact to improve financial literacy among South Africans. Read Article
EDUCATION AND THE RELIGION-SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING RELATIONSHIP (BLOG 3 of 4)
Posted: 2020-Dec-11
Sajid Sherif (3 Min Read)
Several studies have found higher levels of education to be associated with greater subjective well-being.The positive relationship is explained by the role of education in improving cognitive abilities and access to economic resources. This blog follows from my previous one on the religion-subjective well-being relationship, thus explaining how another key social institution influences individual well-being. Read Article
EDUCATION AND THE RELIGION-SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING RELATIONSHIP (BLOG 4 of 4)
Posted: 2020-Dec-11
Sajid Sherif (3 Min Read)
This blog amalgamates and expands the insights from my previous three blogs on subject well-being, religion, and education.While religion is thought to have a general positive impact on subjective well-being, the impact of education on religion is ambiguous. A worthwhile question is then: how does the attainment of higher levels of education impact the religion-subjective well-being relationship? Internal measure of religiosity may be diminished, while external measures may be enhanced. Read Article
Unpacking South Africa’s GDP and employment stats for early to mid-2020
Posted: 2020-Nov-24
Lauralyn Kaziboni (4 Min Read)
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the country’s official provider of national statistics, is tasked with producing reliable data on a regular basis. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the related lockdown measures, have caused a severe economic contraction in 2020, but have also resulted in confusion over the degree of the pain felt by the real economy in the second and third quarters of 2020. This note briefly unpacks the method employed by Stats SA to estimate the reported changes in GDP and unemployment to better understand how the statistics office has arrived at these GDP and employment numbers. Read Article
