Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) is an independent association whose members include the leaders of some of South Africa’s biggest and most well-known businesses.
Through BLSA, South Africa’s business leaders engage key players in South African society, including government, civil society and labour, to exchange ideas in our national interest and to create effective dialogue.
By so doing, we contribute to building strong communities underpinned by job creation through sustained economic growth.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
BLSA CEO’s Weekly Newsletter – Our economy is not delivering and we must fix it
Budget 3.0 is expected this week and it is critical that this one strikes the right balance of fiscal prudence. The growth outlook has deteriorated from February when the budget was first tabled, meaning there will be less revenue in the form of tax collection, and therefore a bigger headache on how to balance the books. At last week’s business/government partnership meeting, held with the president, it was clear that we need to speed up reform to drive economic growth. It is time for parliament and the government to show that we are capable of rallying around a coherent budget that maintains fiscal consolidation. The decision by ratings agency S&P Global over the weekend to reaffirm its positive outlook for our credit rating reinforces what is at stake. S&P sees potential upside that would lead it to increase our credit rating if an improving track record of effective reforms resulted in the strengthening of economic growth and reduced government debt and contingent liabilities. On the other hand, it notes the downside risk is if ongoing economic and governance reforms do not progress, resulting in a deterioration in economic growth or a higher-than-expected fiscal deficit and interest burden. Finance minister Enoch […]
21/05/2025
MEDIA STATEMENT – BLSA reacts to Budget 3.0
The third iteration of the 2025/26 Budget maintains the expenditure trajectory presented in the 19 February 2025 budget, despite the absence of R75bn that the rejected VAT increases would have… continue reading
12/03/2025
MEDIA STATEMENT – BLSA reacts to the 2025 Budget Speech
The revised budget tabled today, including a VAT increase of 0.5 percentage points this year and another of the same… continue reading
19/02/2025
MEDIA STATEMENT – BLSA reacts to the Budget postponement
The failure of the government of national unity to resolve its differences over the budget is disappointing and negative for… continue reading
06/02/2025
MEDIA STATEMENT – Business encouraged by strong impetus given to reforms of network industries and to local government
Government recognises the important role that municipalities have in reforming our energy and water sectors in particular, says BLSA CEO … continue reading
