MTBPS2025 in a Nutshell: A Turning Point for South Africa’s Finances

Loading player...
SPECIAL BROADCAST GUESTS:
Sifiso Skenjana – Economist & Managing Director, ESG Analytics |
Enoch Godongwana – Minister of Finance |
Edward Kieswetter – SARS Commissioner |
John Steenhuisen – Minister of Agriculture |
Zuko Godlimpi – Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry & Competition |
Songezo Zibi – SCOPA Chairperson |
Miyelani Holeni – Group Chief Advisor, Ntiyiso Consulting Group

South Africa’s fiscal story just got a little brighter. In a surprisingly upbeat 2025 Mid-Term Budget Policy Statement, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana signalled that the country’s long climb toward fiscal stability is finally paying off.

The deficit is narrowing faster than expected, debt is stabilising below 78% of GDP, and the primary balance is back in surplus for the first time in over a decade. Buoyed by higher tax revenues, lower borrowing costs, and renewed investor confidence, government is projecting a return to fiscal health by 2028, alongside a bold new 3% inflation target that could lock in lower interest rates for years to come.

In this special broadcast, Gugulethu Mfuphi brings together key policymakers and economic minds, from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, SCOPA Chair Songezo Zibi, and more to unpack what this new fiscal chapter means for growth, agriculture, trade, and the everyday South African.

From the numbers behind the optimism to the politics shaping policy discipline, our guests explore whether this is finally the inflection point for South Africa’s economy and what it will take to keep the momentum going.
12 Nov 2025 3PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Opportunities to strengthen bilateral trade

Top Story: Advocate Mtho Xulu discussed the launch of the Namibia–South Africa Business Council and how it aims to strengthen regional trade, investment and economic cooperation.
16 Jul 12PM 17 min

Between Hype and Fear: AI, War & the Hidden Risks in Global Markets

Izak Odendaal from Old Mutual Investments unpacks the global economy’s “crosscurrents of war and technology.” From oil price shocks to trillion‑dollar AI capex, rising leverage in tech supply chains, frothy market valuations, and the IMF’s subdued growth outlook — this episode helps investors navigate hype, fear, and everything in between.
15 Jul 1PM 11 min

Justice for Business — Faster, Fairer Company Dispute Resolution

Judge Dennis Davis breaks down the Companies Tribunal’s newly extended jurisdiction to arbitrate company disputes. Learn how businesses can resolve governance issues, director fallouts, and CIPC disagreements quickly, fairly, and for free — and why this matters for SMMEs navigating South Africa’s complex commercial landscape.
15 Jul 1PM 12 min