From goings-on in politics to info drops in the economic world, we’ve got you covered on what to expect this week.
Politics
Ramaphosa in the US
President Cyril Ramaphosa heads back to the US this week where he will be attending the UN General Assembly. According to the presidency, Ramaphosa intends to meet “US leaders” on the sidelines of the event in a further attempt to reset bilateral relations between the US and South Africa, and push for a trade deal.
Ramaphosa is set to address the assembly’s general debate on Tuesday, where he is expected to call for stronger multilateralism, peaceful conflict resolution and reform of the UN Security Council. His message will highlight the disproportionate impact of global crises on developing nations and urge renewed co-operation to meet the sustainable development goals.
Madlanga commission of inquiry
The Madlanga commission of inquiry into the police continues this week after Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi wrapped up his testimony last week. The commission is expected to hear testimony this week from witnesses who can corroborate Mkhwanazi’s testimony. This may include members of the KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team.
Heritage Day
South Africa celebrates Heritage Day on Wednesday, a national public holiday aimed at celebrating the cultures and traditions of the country. The government’s theme for this year is “Reimagine our heritage institutions for a new era”.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile, acting in place of Ramaphosa, will lead the national event in Oudtshoorn. The programme is expected to feature cultural performances and speeches stressing unity and renewal.
Economics
Producer inflation
South Africa’s producer inflation data is due on Thursday, and it is likely to show a modest pickup in August’s PPI to 1.8% year on year from 1.5% in July. The main driver is expected to be the category covering food products, beverages and tobacco, where meat prices continue to climb amid the ongoing fight against foot-and-mouth disease. Other food categories will also record increases, though largely due to last month’s base effects.
That said, the upside is being partly contained by favourable weather conditions, which are keeping field crop prices subdued. On the downside, the category covering coke, petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products remains in deflation. Fuel prices fell in August, off the back of lower global oil prices and a stronger rand. This deepened the annual decline in petrol and diesel costs to -7.4% and -7.5%, respectively from -7% in July.
SARB Quarterly Bulletin Q2 2025
The South African Reserve Bank will publish its Quarterly Bulletin for the second quarter this week, giving a detailed readout on how the economy performed and how households are coping. The report is expected to show some recovery after conditions worsened earlier in the year. Higher wages and slower inflation likely gave households a lift, while lower interest rates helped to reduce debt-servicing.
The new two-pot pension system is also adding short-term support, with withdrawals boosting cash flow. Even so, weak job creation will likely limit any real turnaround. The bulletin will provide fresh data on household balance sheets, debt levels and savings, giving investors and policymakers a clearer sense of how resilient consumers are as South Africa moves into the last quarter of 2025.
This article is published courtesy of The South Africa Brief, a political newsletter published on Substack which is a collaboration between Paul Berkowitz and Jonathan Moakes. It provides analysis and insight into the new, uncertain era of South African politics heralded by the 2024 general election. Including a specific focus on municipal politics, it will provide full analysis in the run-up to next year’s municipal polls.
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