The Monocle Banking Podcast

South Africa’s economic outlook is showing signs of improvement, but is the progress as promising as it seems?

Michael Avery was joined by Dr Azar Jammine, Director and Chief Economist at Econometrix, to unpack the country’s fiscal position and broader economic outlook. From narrowing budget deficits and the impact of rising commodity prices to persistent unemployment and growing infrastructure backlogs, the conversation explored whether recent improvements reflect meaningful progress or mask deeper structural weaknesses. They also discussed the role of economic reforms, investment and sustainable growth in shaping South Africa’s financial future.

Is South Africa’s economy being held back by its own policies? With unemployment remaining high and economic freedom rankings declining, the need for reform is becoming increasingly urgent.

In this episode of the Monocle Banking Podcast, Michael Avery spoke to Neil Emerick, Deputy Chair of the Free Market Foundation, about South Africa’s economic challenges, restrictive regulations and declining investor confidence. Drawing comparisons with Kenya and Argentina, the conversation explored the reforms needed to unlock investment, strengthen economic freedom and drive sustainable growth.

A more open, competitive payments system could reshape how South Africa transacts - but key reforms are still taking shape.

Michael Avery spoke with Lincoln Mali, CEO of Lesaka Technologies, about the progress made in reshaping South Africa’s payments ecosystem and the reforms still needed to unlock greater competition. They explored the shift away from bank-led self-regulation, the potential of activity-based regulation to open the market to fintechs, and why lower costs, greater transparency and more accessible digital payment options could benefit merchants and consumers alike. The conversation also examined the potential of PayShap and a unified QR standard to accelerate digital adoption, as well as the importance of regulatory clarity in turning reform into meaningful change.

Geopolitical disruption is no longer an occasional shock - it is becoming a permanent feature of the business landscape. From fractured supply chains and energy insecurity to infrastructure constraints and technological concentration, leaders are being forced to rethink how they plan, invest and build resilience.

In this episode of the Monocle Banking Podcast, Michael Avery spoke with Claudio Campanini, Kearney’s Middle East and Africa Regional Chair, and Prashaen Reddy, Partner at Kearney, about why traditional forecasting is giving way to scenario-based planning. They explored how geopolitical risk is reshaping capital allocation, infrastructure and supply chains, what South Africa could learn from the Middle East’s approach to resilience and diversification, and why boards need to build greater agility into their organisations to navigate an increasingly unpredictable global environment.

Absa’s appointment as master custodian for South Africa’s Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) marks a significant development in the country’s pension landscape.

Michael Avery was joined by Hazel Khumalo, Managing Executive, Pan Africa Sales, Investor Services at Absa CIB, to unpack what the mandate means and how the role of custody had evolved beyond simply safeguarding assets. They explored the growing importance of independent oversight as pension funds expanded into private and cross-border investments, as well as the role of local expertise, pension reform and emerging technology in shaping the future of custody in Africa.