The financial markets in South Africa remain highly concentrated amongst the big players in terms of banking. The big players (PWC, 2018) have a stronger balance sheet and an asset base enabling them to perform faster and enjoy stronger buying powers than their smaller counterparts.
The overarching aim of this report is to understand the debates surrounding the independence of the central banks in developing countries and the various monetary policy instruments that are used to maintain price stability, economic growth, and employment. Central banks have become independent over the years, and as a result, most have adopted hierarchal mandates which solely focus on price and financial stability as the primary goals of the monetary policy.
We live in a country where everything is on the rise. From petrol prices, VAT, and to basics such as food – it gets tougher to make ends meet. While South Africans are dealing with increased tariffs, they also have to deal with increased car hijackings, house robberies as well as natural disasters. Facing misfortunes such as these can bring an overwhelming setback in one’s life.
While Africa today is the fastest growing continent and youngest in terms of population – one ought to expect an inwards than out approach when it comes to technological changes shaping the continent. The only inwards than out approach used for centuries since the colonisation of Africa remains one where Africans go into the darkest and dangerous trenches to mine precious stones to ship in its rawest form of raw material, only to repurchase it from the international world.
The construction industry plays a vital role in South Africa's economy and is a significant contributor to economic growth (CIBD, 2012). It provides opportunities for enterprises, and employment, which is vital in a developing economy such as South Africa (Windopa & Cattrell, 2013). The rate of infrastructure development determines performance of the construction industry. Additionally, it is also this development which determines the extent to which investment efforts in a resource-rich country are translated into investment outcomes (Windopa & Cattrell, 2013).
