On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, South Africans will head to the polls for the country’s Local Government Elections. President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed the date earlier this
South African consumers are facing significant financial pressure amid a perfect storm of rising interest rates and inflation, driven by higher fuel, municipal tariffs, electricity, and
Most small businesses do not fail because they lack ambition or attract the wrong market. They fail when the numbers no longer show what is really
Operating a business in South Africa presents a specific set of demanding financial conditions. While the local economy experiences periods of cyclical stabilisation, corporate profit margins
Becoming self-employed changes the way you deal with tax. When you are employed, your employer deducts PAYE from your salary and pays it to SARS on
Belonging to a registered medical scheme doesn’t just protect your health. It also comes with a built-in tax benefit. SARS refunds part of what you pay
Every South African employer registered with the Compensation Fund needs to know one number each year: the maximum earnings ceiling used to calculate their COIDA assessment.
Many people associate wealth with high earnings, successful investments, or owning valuable assets. While these deliver a significant advantage, wealth is usually built much earlier in
What is a trust? The answer may seem obvious, but in practice, many people get confused as to exactly what a trust is and what such
Financial distress in business rarely happens overnight. It builds over time as cash flow tightens, creditors apply pressure, and operations become strained by inflation. By the
Getting permission from the municipality to run a coffee shop on a residential property might seem like the green light to go ahead. The plans are
When you launch or restructure a business in South Africa, most SMEs and investors choose between three options: a private company (Pty Ltd), a trust, or
The 2026 Budget sorts out the PAYE anomaly, but is silent on SDL and UIF. A 2023 amendment to Paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Fourth Schedule to
What Are Futures? Futures are financial contracts that allow two parties to agree on the price of an asset today, with the transaction taking place at
South African roads have been deteriorating steadily. SANRAL estimates that the country now has more than 25 million potholes — up from 15 million in 2017.
Few things are more disruptive to a business than logging into your banking portal and finding that your account has been restricted: payments are bouncing, payroll
SARS issued two Binding Private Rulings (BPR 421 and BPR 422) on 26 November 2025, both dealing with South African tax residents receiving lump sums from
For most business owners, your company name is far more than a formality. It is how your market recognises you. It reflects your work, your relationships,
The Two-Pot Retirement System is often explained as a retirement reform. In practice, it has become a payroll issue. Payroll administrators are no longer just processing
For the first time in 17 years, the goalposts for small businesses in South Africa have shifted. As of 1 April 2026, the compulsory VAT registration
In 2026, South Africa continues to grapple with one of the most severe youth unemployment and financial literacy crises in the world. According to the United
After last year’s “third-time lucky” Budget, many predicted doom and gloom this year. There was talk of the need for an additional R20 billion of tax
