South African rand steady ahead of producer inflation data
The South African rand was steady in early trade on Thursday, as investors await producer inflation data for clues on the health of Africa's most-industrialised economy.
At 0649 GMT, the rand traded at 16.7675 against the dollar, little changed from its previous close of 16.7750.
Traders will keep tabs on the November domestic producer inflation figures due at 0930 GMT, which will provide insights into price pressures in Africa's biggest economy.
Economists polled by Reuters expect year-on-year producer inflation to fall to 2.8% from 2.9% in October, in line with Nedbank's prediction.
"PPI is forecast to ease from 2.9% to 2.8%, contained by lower fuel costs. Food prices at the producer level likely remained steady, with the impact of high meat prices offset by moderation in other categories, which benefited from favourable weather, improving logistics and stable power supply," Nedbank economists said in a note.
Inflation in South Africa has been well contained this year, allowing the South African Reserve Bank to cut its main interest rate four times. At its last policy meeting, the central bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points, citing an improved inflation outlook.
Its next policy announcement is scheduled for January 29 and analysts anticipate further rate cuts in 2026.
"A strong ZAR, subdued global oil prices, and cheap imports from China have consistently eased domestic cost pressures. With these forces still in effect, inflation is expected to remain muted into 2026. This bolsters expectations for further SARB easing next year, with the first of two more anticipated cuts likely arriving in Q1 or early Q2," said ETM Analytics in a research note.
South Africa's benchmark 2035 government bond was also steady in early deals, with the yield at 8.375%.

SADC deploys panel of elders in support of inclusive process in lead up to new electionsWord ID:
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the restoration of calm in Madagascar during the closing ceremony of the Southern African Development Community virtual extraordinary Summit of heads of State and government held on Wednesday.
As interim chairperson of SADC, he also reaffirmed the bloc's commitment to remain actively engaged with the political and security situation in Madagascar until a government was established through an electoral process.
SADC would deploy a 'Panel of Elders and Mediation Reference Group' to Madagascar "to engage with all the stakeholders to ensure there is an inclusive process leading up to the holding of free, fair and credible elections".
Ramaphosa urged the Malagasy people to choose a path of peace, unity, reconciliation and development, while noting the national consultation processes launched by the transitional government last week.
Madagascar is currently under a transitional government, established in October, after mass protests and the ousting of President Andry Rajoelina.
The transitional government had set a goal of national refoundation, the crafting of a new constitution, and the holding of new elections within a two-year period.
Ramaphosa said the summit urged the transitional government led by Colonel Micheal Randrianirina to initiate an inclusive national dialogue that was Malagasy-owned and led.
"This will pave the way for fresh elections and facilitate the peaceful return of political exiles," he said.
"We have further called on the transitional government of Madagascar to ensure that the reform processes are timely, inclusive of all stakeholders, and create a conducive environment in which political exiles can contribute meaningfully," he added.
Ramaphosa also used the platform to congratulate Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on his election as incoming chairperson of the SADC.
Hichilema was elected on Wednesday, during the closing ceremony of the SADC virtual extraordinary Summit of heads of State and government.
"I look forward to working closely with you, my dear brother as we advance the mandate of SADC in pursuit of peace, security and shared prosperity for our region and all its peoples," said Ramaphosa.

White South Africans could get Trump biography for kids in refugee welcome packet
White South Africans coming to the US as refugees could get a biography of President Donald Trump for children as part of a welcome packet proposed last week by an administration official, emails reviewed by Reuters showed.
The book - "Donald Trump Biography for Kids: An Inspirational Story of One of America's Most Famous Presidents" - was suggested by Fred Cooper, a Trump appointee serving as deputy assistant secretary in a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services, according to a December 8 internal email reviewed by Reuters.
The 89-page biography, designed for children ages 8 to 12, portrays the Republican president as an inspirational figure whose life "is a masterclass in determination, resilience, confidence, and dreaming big."
Cooper also suggested the welcome packet include a biography of Andrew Jackson, the seventh US president. Trump has praised Jackson, a fellow populist, although Jackson has faced historical criticism for owning slaves and driving Native Americans from their lands.
"I imagine these books wouldn't be an issue?" Cooper said in the email, linking to the Trump and Jackson biographies. The email did not say what the US government might pay for the biographies.
HHS and Cooper did not respond to requests for comment.
The planned welcome packet, if finalised, would support Trump's effort to bring thousands of white South Africans to the US as refugees. The program has provoked backlash from the South African government and refugee groups.
Trump froze refugee admissions from around the world after taking office in January but weeks later launched an effort to bring in European-descended Afrikaners from majority-Black South Africa. Trump has said these people were victims of race-based violence and discrimination, claims the South African government strongly denies.
On Wednesday, South African authorities said they would deport Kenyans who were contracted to work on the US refugee program, saying they were using improper visas.
Refugees in the past have received materials explaining US history and culture, but they do not normally promote specific presidents or ideologies, three veteran refugee workers said.
The Trump biography recounts his childhood in New York City and successes and failures as a businessman, including the bankruptcy of his lavish Taj Mahal casino and hotel in Atlantic City.
The book includes prominent moments from Trump's 2017-2021 presidency, from construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border to efforts to combat Covid-19.
In a chapter entitled "Challenges and Controversies," it broaches Trump's two impeachments by the US House of Representatives, including his message to supporters to "fight like hell" before they stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
"The events of January 6 and the subsequent impeachment trial were among the most contentious moments of Donald's presidency, sparking debates about accountability, free speech, and the future of American democracy," it reads.
The book is published by EverNest Press, whose only online presence Reuters could find was on Amazon, with no available contact information. EverNest Press is also listed as the author. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cooper also proposed the welcome packet include "The 1776 Report," published in January 2021 as Trump ended his first term in office. The report, the product of a presidential commission convened by Trump, criticises policies that promote diversity.
The HHS official also recommended including a report on religious freedom by the Family Research Council, a conservative group. That report highlights legal battles by American business people who refused to serve same-sex couples, including a Colorado baker who won a case before the US Supreme Court in 2018.

South African rand flat ahead of leading economic indicator, local inflation data
The South African rand was flat in early trade on Tuesday, ahead of the release of local central bank data and inflation data that will shed light on the country's economic outlook.
At 0512 GMT, the rand traded at 16.75 against the dollar, little changed from its previous close of 16.7550.
At around 0700 GMT, the South African Reserve Bank will publish the country's leading business cycle indicator for October, which collects data on vehicle sales, business confidence, money supply, and other factors.
It will help domestically-focussed investors to gauge the health of Africa's most industrialised economy.
Then traders will turn their attention to November consumer inflation data, due at 0800 GMT.
Economists polled by Reuters expect annual inflation to come in at 3.6% for November, unchanged from October's print.
Economists at Nedbank anticipate annual inflation to ease to 3.4% in November, mainly due to lower fuel prices.
"During the month, Brent crude price fell by 2% and the rand strengthened by 1.2% against the U.S. dollar, resulting in a 2.4% decline in local fuel prices. This pulled the annual increase in fuel costs down sharply from 3.3% to 0.9%," said Nedbank in a research note.
However, the bank's economists expect food inflation to remain elevated, driven by double-digit increases in meat prices amid ongoing outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease.
South Africa's benchmark 2035 government bond was also muted in early deals, as the yield fell 1 basis point to 8.385%.

South African inflation eases, economists see more rate cuts ahead
South African inflation slowed for the first time in three months in November, bolstering expectations that the central bank will cut interest rates further next year even with its new, lower inflation target.
Headline consumer inflation slowed to 3.5% year on year in November from 3.6% in October, within the 1 percentage point tolerance band of the 3% target announced last month.
Economists polled by Reuters had predicted that inflation would remain unchanged at 3.6% last month.
A breakdown by Statistics South Africa showed categories like transport and recreation recorded cooler rates in November, but others like food and restaurants saw increases.
Annual core inflation, which strips out volatile items like food and energy, came in at 3.2% in November.
"The softer-than-expected South African headline inflation reading and weak core inflation will give the Reserve Bank plenty of confidence that it can meet its new, lower 3% inflation target," William Jackson, chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, said in a research note.
"We expect 100 basis points of cuts in the repo rate in 2026," Jackson added.
At last month's rate-setting meeting the South African Reserve Bank lowered its main lending rate by 25 basis points to 6.75%, citing an improved inflation outlook.
Since then a quarterly survey commissioned by the Reserve Bank showed business people, trade union officials and analysts expect much lower inflation levels under the new target.
The Reserve Bank's next interest rate announcement is scheduled for January 29.

South Africa arrests Kenyans working on US refugee applications
South Africa on Wednesday said its authorities had arrested and would deport seven Kenyan nationals illegally working on processing refugee applications for the US government.
President Donald Trump's administration aims to bring thousands of white South Africans to the United States under a resettlement programme it started this year, on the basis of claims that they are victims of racial persecution. South Africa's government strongly denies this.
According to the US embassy website, processing for the refugee programme in South Africa is being done by Amerikaners, a group led by white South Africans, and RSC Africa, a Kenya-based refugee support centre operated by Church World Service.
The Kenyans had entered South Africa on tourist visas and illegally taken up work at a processing centre, despite the fact that earlier visa applications for Kenyan nationals to do this work had been denied, South Africa's Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.
The seven were arrested during an operation on Tuesday and issued with deportation orders, it said.
CNN reported on Tuesday that two US government employees were also briefly held, then released. The South African statement said no US officials were arrested.
The incident is likely to worsen already bad relations between Washington and Pretoria. During his second term, Trump has repeatedly made false claims about South Africa's treatment of its white minority, and used this as a justification for cutting aid and excluding South Africa from G20 meetings.
"The presence of foreign officials apparently coordinating with undocumented workers naturally raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol," the South African statement said.
"The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has initiated formal diplomatic engagements with both the United States and Kenya to resolve this matter."
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. RSC Africa could not be immediately reached for comment.
A State Department spokesperson was quoted by CNN as saying that "interfering in our refugee operations is unacceptable" and that the US government would be seeking immediate clarification from the South African government.
A spokesperson for Kenya's foreign ministry said she was not aware of the incident but would look into it.

Rand gains as gold shines and investors eye year's final economic data
The South African rand gained in early trade on Monday, supported by higher gold prices as local investors look towards the year's last bit of economic data for clues on the health of Africa's most industrialised economy.
At 0701 GMT the rand traded at 16.84 against the dollar, about 0.2% firmer than its previous close.
Gold held near a more than seven-week high on Monday on a weaker dollar and lower US yields, and as a major producer of precious metals, South Africa often benefits from firmer bullion prices.
"Through the past week, the ZAR was able to capitalise on weaker USD sentiment. As the USD remained in a weaker trend, the ZAR was able to sustain the break below 16.90/dlr and open the door for even more ZAR appreciation," ETM Analytics said in a research note.
"Technically speaking, the ZAR could now test levels in the 16.60s before the end of the year, which would play a significant role in reinforcing the virtuous cycle that has resulted in the ZAR appreciating as much as it has this year," ETM Analytics said.
Domestically-focused traders will examine the South African Reserve Bank's bulletin for the third quarter which is expected to be released at 0800 GMT, offering insight into quarterly foreign direct investment and portfolio flows.
Later in the week investors will look to November consumer inflation data and producer inflation figures.
South Africa's benchmark 2035 government bond was firmer in early deals, as the yield fell 5 basis points to 8.39%.

South Africa set for biggest cash-system overhaul in decades
South Africa's central bank plans the biggest overhaul of the nation's cash system in decades, moving to create a cash-management company, roll out white-label ATMs and tighten oversight of how money circulates to make it cheaper and easier to access.
Cash moving through Africa's biggest economy tops R180-billion, or 2.5% of gross domestic product, and accounts for about two-thirds of all transaction volumes even as digital payments grow. Managing, transporting and securing physical money cost about R90-billion last year, a burden shouldered by consumers. Crime accounts for 13% of that.
The so-called Cash Smart Strategy aims to ensure physical funds remain accessible for low-income and rural communities that have limited digital-payment options and often face costs as much as five times higher than wealthier urban users. The reforms - likely to be the largest change in how cash is circulated since ATMs were introduced more than 40 years ago - are intended to ease that burden.
The central bank expects cash usage to drop by 30% to 40% when the nation reaches digitization levels comparable to India, Brazil and the European Union.
"It's a very radical transformation of the industry," Pradeep Maharaj, the head of the South African Reserve Bank's Payments Ecosystem Modernization Programme, said in an interview.
Key to the proposed strategy is establishing a cash utility co-owned by entities including banks and retailers. The company would mirror the Netherlands' Geldmaat - a joint venture between ABN AMRO Bank, ING Groep and Rabobank that operates a unified ATM network.
The utility would model cash demand and distribute it accordingly, removing the 480 million-rand indirect subsidy currently received by a few private companies that hold and circulate physical money on the central bank's behalf.
'WORTHWHILE SHAKE-UP' ATMs, which are mostly owned and operated by lenders such as Capitec Bank Holdings and FirstRand, would be rolled into the company and converted to white-label facilities that any bank's customers can use at little or no cost.
"There'll be complete interoperability and therefore we'd be able to reduce the fees to almost zero," Maharaj said.
While the changes may affect commercial bank revenue, "we hope that doing this would reduce the costs they incur by even more and make up for that," he said.
The strategy won't "come without cost but it will be a worthwhile shake-up if we can make cash cheaper, more accessible and safer," said Jannie Rossouw, an honorary professor at the University of the Witwatersrand's business school.
Declining cash in circulation would also weigh on the central bank's seigniorage income, or the interest it earns on deposits placed with it in exchange for notes, he added.
The central bank is also considering extending cash regulations beyond lenders and may introduce operating licenses for cash-in-transit companies, retailers and some payment-service providers. A draft regulatory framework is expected early next year.
The Reserve Bank further plans to engage major grocers including Shoprite Holdings Ltd. and Pick n Pay Stores - which recycle as much as 100 billion rand in cash a year - about taking stakes in the planned utility and operating as licensed cash wholesalers with direct access to cash, a move that could benefit their businesses, he said.
It presented the plan to banks this month and will engage with industry experts starting January. Rolling out the strategy could take as much as three years.

South Africa records smaller FDI outflows in Q3
South Africa recorded foreign direct investment outflows of R21.0-billion in the third quarter of 2025, down from outflows of R73.5-billion in the second quarter, central bank data showed on Monday.
The South African Reserve Bank said in its Quarterly Bulletin that the outflows were mainly due to Anglo American's sale of its remaining equity in Valterra Platinum.
The outflows were partially offset by an increase in foreign shareholding in a media and entertainment company. French media group Canal+ took control of South African broadcaster MultiChoice in the third quarter.
Portfolio investment inflows slowed to R40.7-billion in July-September from inflows of R69.4-billion in April-June.

Nersa appoints three new regulators
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa has appointed Willibrod Majola and Nomfundo Maseti as full-time regulator members for five years following Cabinet's approval.
Nersa has also appointed Ria Govender as part-time regulator members for four years.
Chairperson Thembani Bukula says the members have extensive experience in energy regulation and will support Nersa's mandate to ensure the sustainable development of the energy sector.

South African inflation expectations fall toward 3% target
South African inflation expectations for the next two years fell in the fourth quarter, edging closer to the central bank's new 3% inflation target.
Average inflation expectations two years ahead - the gauge monetary policymakers prefer for setting borrowing costs - dipped to 3.7% in the last three months of 2025 from 4.2% previously, according to a survey published by the Stellenbosch-based Bureau for Economic Research on Friday.
The survey is the first since Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's formal endorsement last month of the central bank's new 3% inflation target - with a one-point tolerance band on either side - a shift long advocated by Governor Lesetja Kganyago.
The central bank chief announced the monetary policy committee's preference for inflation to settle at 3% in July. The MPC's previous target band of 3% to 6% had been in place for 25 years.
The drop in expectations may give officials ammunition to press ahead with their easing cycle at their first rate meeting of the year in late January, provided inflation remains subdued.
Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect inflation to accelerate to 3.7% in November from 3.6% a month earlier.
At their November meeting, policymakers cut the benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 6.75%, bringing cumulative reductions since the easing cycle began last year to 150 basis points.
At the time, Kganyago said the MPC wants longer-run expectations to anchor at 3%, staying there even when there are shocks.

ANC says it needs to reform to regain support
South Africa's African National Congress, the liberation movement that brought Nelson Mandela to power, said it was facing a crisis over corruption, poor governance, and persistent racial inequality, and pledged to clean up its act.
Although the largest party in government, the ANC was forced into a coalition last year after losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994. That defeat has prompted soul-searching.
Wrapping up a strategy conference in Johannesburg on Thursday, the party endorsed a declaration that identified corruption, factionalism, poor service delivery, and slow progress in reducing poverty among its failures.
"The apartheid-colonial political economy remains largely intact," it admitted, with Black South Africans vastly disadvantaged compared with the small white minority.
"We understand our struggle to be at a fork in the road, and thus, we can either renew or perish," the party said, vowing to set itself performance targets across a range of issues.
The ANC faces municipal elections in 2026 that it sees as a key test of its standing. While still revered by many for ending white minority rule, the party has lost support among younger voters fed up with a lack of progress and a culture of cronyism.
The second-biggest party, the Democratic Alliance, favours free-market economics and wants to scrap the ANC's racial redress policies, which have also been criticised by US President Donald Trump.
"This will be an important test of the extent to which we have managed to renew the support and confidence of our people," President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC's leader, told the conference.
He said the party was making progress in rebuilding a culture of integrity, citing greater compliance with its "step aside" rule that requires members accused of wrongdoing to relinquish their posts.

Most South Africans want empowerment policy ended, study finds
More than half of South Africans want a key policy aimed at addressing racial inequality scrapped and hiring and promotions to be merit-based, according to the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation.
The South African Reconciliation Barometer found that 54% of the country's inhabitants agree that the so-called Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment rules should be phased out, the Cape Town-based institute said in a report published on its website. Two-thirds of South Africans think that the use of racial categories does more harm than good, the Cape Town-based IJR said.
Mounting scrutiny of the empowerment policy within South Africa is partly due to US President Donald Trump's drive to end affirmative action and government diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in America, the IJR said. Pretoria-born billionaire Elon Musk, who is seeking to start operating his Starlink internet service in South Africa, has said the laws are racist and unfairly prejudice White citizens.
South Africa introduced empowerment policies after the end of apartheid, compelling companies in industries including banking, mining and telecommunications to sell stakes to Black people who were systematically excluded from the economy during White-minority rule.
Three decades after the end of apartheid, Black South Africans, who account for more than 80% of the country's 63-million people, face a far higher unemployment rate than their White counterparts - 35.8% compared with 8.1%, according to Statistics South Africa. White households on average also earn almost five times more than Black families.
Almost 30-million Black South Africans live in poverty, according to the Democratic Alliance, which opposes the government's empowerment policy, which it says has "entrenched a millionaire class of politically connected insiders." The party found that 1-trillion rand ($59-billion) has been transferred to less than 100 people since apartheid ended in 1994, according to its website.
The IJR study showed that an overwhelming majority of South Africans agree that a racially representative workforce should be a national priority.
"This was relatively consistent among people of different races, although slightly lower among White South Africans," it said. Support among White South Africans for a racially representative workforce was 77%, compared with at least 82% for Black, Indian and mixed-race South Africans, the IJR said.
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US House committee approves Africa trade bill, no mention of South Africa exclusion for now
A US House committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would renew for another three years Washington's preferential trade programme for Africa, and there was no immediate mention of excluding South Africa as the US trade envoy had said was possible.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act, a law first enacted in 2000 to provide duty-free access to the US market for eligible sub-Saharan African countries and products, expired in September and hundreds of thousands of African jobs are estimated to depend on it.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday the Trump administration was open to a one-year extension but might exclude South Africa, which he described as a "unique problem".
The US House Committee on Ways and Means approved the AGOA Extension Act by a vote of 37-3, a committee statement said, describing the trade initiative as "the cornerstone of economic relations between the US and sub-Saharan African nations".
"An extended lapse in AGOA would create a void that malign actors like China and Russia will seek to fill," the statement added.
The bill will pass to the full House of Representatives, though it is not yet clear when it will take it up.
SOUTH AFRICA FIGHTING TO STAY IN AGOA South Africa's trade ministry says it is doing everything it can to ensure the country is included in any AGOA extension, even though relations with the US have soured badly during Trump's second term in office.
Trump has railed against Africa's biggest economy for its policies addressing racial inequality, and trade official Greer says it needs to lower tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US products for the US to reduce the 30% duties it imposed on South African goods in August.
South Africa says the Trump administration based its tariffs on an inaccurate view of the two countries' trade.
A trade ministry spokesperson said South Africa was tracking the progress of the AGOA Extension Act closely.

NDPP interviews: ActionSA objects to Andrea Johnson's candidacy
Following its objection to the shortlisting of Johannesburg Society of Advocates' advocate Menzi Simelane as a National Director of Public Prosecutions candidate, ActionSA further objected to the candidacy of National Prosecuting Authority Investigating Directorate advocate Andrea Johnson, claiming she is unfit for the position of NDPP.
The advisory panel handling the selection process, chaired by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi, has been holding interviews since Wednesday.
Last month, the panel announced that it had shortlisted six candidates for the position.
They include former NPA ID head advocate Hermione Cronje, who is now a freelance international anti-corruption and asset recovery specialist; NPA Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Nicolette Astraid Bell; Johnson; Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime chairperson advocate Xolisile Jennifer Khanyile; NPA Western Cape Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Adrian Carl Mopp; and Simelane.
President Cyril Ramaphosa established the panel, ahead of the end of advocate Shamila Batohi's term of office, in January 2026.
ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said the country's justice system needed an "unimpeachable steward" to restore public trust in the institution.
"Adv. Johnson's poor performance before the Ad-hoc Committee, coupled with comments she made in a meeting effectively advising prosecutors to 'fake it until you make it' when handling serious cases, raises serious concerns about her suitability for this critical role," he said.
Johnson was interviewed on Wednesday, and Trollip said there were questions about whether she could turn around the NPA.
He noted that most public comments submitted on the suitability of the candidates showed that they objected to Johnson's candidacy, which ActionSA believed demonstrated a lack of public confidence in her.
"…marking a clear signal that if we are to reverse the shocking decline of the NPA, she simply cannot serve as head of our prosecuting authority," he said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance has been vocal about Simelane's shortlisting, expressing disappointment with the panel.
"The panel set up to advise the President has chosen to interview advocate Menzi Simelane, a man already found unfit for this very office by South Africa's highest court," said DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development advocate Glynnis Breytenbach.
She said Simelane's past appointment as NDPP had been declared unconstitutional as he "lacked the necessary integrity and competence for the job".
"He actively facilitated State capture in the NPA in the past and will do it again if given the chance. This cannot be allowed to happen," she said.
The DA said Simelane's shortlisting for the position was shameful.
On Tuesday, the DA told Ramaphosa that if he appointed anyone following the panel's recommendations, the DA would approach the court to interdict that appointment.

Cabinet approves draft Gas Bill for processing by Parliament
Cabinet approved the submission of the draft Gas Bill 2025 to Parliament for further processing at its last scheduled meeting for 2025, which took place on December 5.
Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the Bill sought to repeal the Gas Act of 2001 and introduce a modernised legislative framework that reflected recent technological developments in gas transportation and storage.
Through the proposed legislation, government aimed to introduce empowering provisions for the centralised planning of new gas facilities, particularly the transmission and regasification infrastructure needed to import and transport gas.
"The Bill also addresses challenges experienced in the implementation and enforcement of the current Act by positioning South Africa to better manage its gas resources and infrastructure in line with global best practices and national energy priorities," she said.
Also included in the Bill were provisions equipping the National Energy Regulator of South Africa to set, monitor and regulate distribution tariffs, regulate the registration regime and determine licence periods.

Parties question Menzi Simelane's NDPP shortlisting, DA threatens legal action
The Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday it will interdict any appointment emerging from what it describes as a "flawed" National Director of Public Prosecutions interview process.
Last month, the party called for the removal of Johannesburg Society of Advocates' advocate Menzi Simelane from the shortlisted candidates being interviewed for the role.
ActionSA joined the DA in rejecting Simelane's possible appointment, stating that he was "not a fit and proper candidate", noting that the justice system urgently required an "unimpeachable steward" to restore public confidence in the National Prosecuting Authority.
The panel handling the selection process, chaired by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi, on Wednesday began with interviews, which will continue till Thursday.
The DA claimed that the ongoing process to appoint a new NDPP had gone "badly off the rails".
"The panel set up to advise the President has chosen to interview advocate Menzi Simelane, a man already found unfit for this very office by South Africa's highest court.
"It is impossible to overlook that history," said DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development advocate Glynnis Breytenbach.
She said Simelane's past appointment as NDPP had been declared unconstitutional as he "lacked the necessary integrity and competence for the job".
"He actively facilitated State capture in the NPA in the past and will do it again if given the chance. This cannot be allowed to happen," she said.
The DA said Simelane's shortlisting to the position was shameful.
"Thirteen years after being removed as head of the NPA following litigation by the DA, Simelane cannot be reinstated," said Breytenbach.
She pointed out that the Supreme Court of Appeal, and later the Constitutional Court, struck down Simelane's 2010 appointment, questioning his honesty and integrity.
"…those judgments have never been overturned or softened.
"To make matters worse, he was found guilty of professional misconduct in 2017 for misleading the Ginwala Inquiry, and he now faces a striking-off application from the Johannesburg Bar Council," she added.
She said it was hard to imagine a more serious cloud over a candidate.
"Yet the panel insists it is only interviewing people who meet the minimum requirements. Under the National Prosecuting Authority Act, 'fit and proper' is a minimum legal requirement. The claim by the Panel collapses the moment Simelane's name appears on the shortlist.
"If he is treated as qualifying, then the process is irrational. And if the process is irrational, it is unlawful," she said.
On Sunday, the DA's attorneys wrote to the panel seeking reasons for Simelane's inclusion.
Breytenbach claimed that the panel did not acknowledge the letter.
On Tuesday, the DA told President Cyril Ramaphosa that if he appointed anyone from the panel's recommendations, the DA would approach the court to interdict that appointment.
ActionSA Parliamentary Leader Athol Trollip said considering the adverse findings made against Simelane by the Johannesburg Society of Advocates or the findings of the Ginwala Inquiry, which held that he had misled the Inquiry and provided inaccurate and unreliable testimony, effectively calling his honesty and integrity into question, the party could not reconcile with the fact that Simelane was shortlisted in the first place.
"To be clear, no candidate facing questions over their integrity can be considered fit for the position when what is required is someone beyond reproach," he said.
On Tuesday, prominent think tank the Centre for Development and Enterprise urged the advisory panel to rigorously interrogate the six shortlisted candidates.
CDE executive director Ann Bernstein urged the panel to test whether the candidates would be willing and able to prosecute the powerful, and have the determination, experience and capacity to rebuild the NPA and restore...

US House committee to take up Africa trade bill, but South Africa risks exclusion
A US House committee will on Wednesday consider a three-year extension to Washington's flagship trade initiative for Africa which lapsed in September, but South Africa risks being excluded amid tensions between Pretoria and the Trump administration.
Ties have deteriorated this year with a row over trade and as President Donald Trump has frequently criticised South Africa for its domestic laws addressing racial inequality.
The House committee meeting is the most significant progress Congress has made towards renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act, but its ultimate prospects remain unclear.
The law was first enacted in 2000 to provide duty-free access to the US market for eligible Sub-Saharan countries and products, and hundreds of thousands of African jobs are estimated to depend on it.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday the Trump administration was open to a one-year extension but might exclude South Africa, which he described as a "unique problem".
He said South Africa needed to lower tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US products in order for the US to reduce its 30% duties on South African goods. South Africa has previously said the Trump administration based its tariffs on an inaccurate view of the two countries' trade.
There is no special provision for South Africa in the current draft of the AGOA Extension Act, but the US House Committee on Ways and Means will consider amendments to the text before voting on whether or not to send it to the full House of Representatives.
Another bill introduced in the Senate in October proposes a two-year renewal of AGOA and a review of the bilateral relationship with South Africa, but it has not yet been taken up in committee.

Policy Uncertainty Index eases significantly to 64.9 in the fourth quarter
The North-West University Business School's Policy Uncertainty Index has eased to a level of 64.9 in the fourth quarter, compared with a record high of 81 in the third quarter.
This suggests the economy may have reached a turning point and is set to enter 2026 on a note of cautious optimism.
South Africa's economy showed a fourth consecutive rise in economic activity in the third quarter, albeit from a low base. GDP forecasts for 2026 are generally higher, ranging from 1.1% to 1.6%.
The NWU Business School points out that some of the positive developments locally have been lower interest rates, the well-received Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, South Africa being taken off the Financial Action Task Force grey list, a move to lower the inflation target of 3% and ratings agency S&P's decision to raise the country's investment status for the first time in nearly two decades.
Additionally, fixed capital formation increased by 1.6% in the fourth quarter.
The negative factors elevating economic uncertainty, on the other hand, remain high crime levels and the impact of US tariffs on South Africa's export prospects.
Tariff uncertainty can be as economically damaging as the tariffs themselves, the business school emphasises. The South African Reserve Bank has estimated that US tariffs could shave 0.4% off of South Africa's GDP, in the absence of a satisfactory new trade deal with the US.
"The challenge remains for South Africa to ensure the robust implementation of half-forged growth-friendly policies and projects that will further reduce policy uncertainty.
"South Africa's economic steersmanship must continue to keep policy firmly on track so that next year the tailwinds will overcome any headwinds," it explains.
The institution elaborates that policy uncertainty can be gradually reduced by building resilience, creating fiscal buffers and stabilising public indebtedness amid adverse global headwinds.
Political stability may also have been enhanced for now by the Government of National Unity leadership's recent agreement to a formal dispute resolution mechanism meeting monthly and pursuing "sufficient consensus".
Although remaining in negative territory, the recent surge of better economic news for South Africa led to the welcome easing in the PUI to 64.9. The NWU Business School says there were enough positive factors in the past quarter to outweigh the negatives.
Globally, economic growth forecasts are modest yet positive overall. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects global growth of 3.2% next year, but elevated global uncertainty is now seen as the 'new normal'.
"The universal global challenge is how countries can turn uncertainty into opportunity by strengthening resilience, restoring stability and laying the groundwork for durable growth," the business school states.
The US economy, however, appears to be facing the new year with a mix of strength and vulnerabilities. Experts foresee growth in this region's economy of 2% next year, with some downside risks.
The IMF and World Bank both expect the sub-Saharan African economy to grow by more than 4% next year, describing the region's economy as resilient. However, there may be downside risks from global trade uncertainty, high external debt and major job deficits.
The business school says the South African economy may have reached a turning point and that, if the right decisions continue to be taken and implemented, elevated policy uncertainty is reversible.

CDE urges NDPP panel to rigorously interrogate shortlisted candidates
Ahead of the interviews to determine the next National Director of Public Prosecutions, prominent think tank the Centre for Development and Enterprise wants the advisory panel appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to rigorously interrogate the six shortlisted candidates.
The panel handling the selection process, chaired by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi, will hold interviews on Wednesday and Thursday.
"While the appointment of the NDPP is urgent, a slight delay is preferable to choosing the wrong person," said CDE executive director Ann Bernstein.
In October, Ramaphosa established a panel for the selection of the NDPP, ahead of the end of advocate Shamila Batohi's term of office.
Batohi will be required to vacate her office in January 2026, as she reaches the age of 65.
Last month, the panel announced that it had shortlisted six candidates for the position.
They include former National Prosecuting Authority Investigating Directorate head advocate Hermione Cronje, who is now a freelance international anti-corruption and asset recovery specialist; NPA Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Nicolette Astraid Bell; NPA ID advocate Andrea Johnson; Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime chairperson advocate Xolisile Jennifer Khanyile; NPA Western Cape Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Adrian Carl Mopp; and Johannesburg Society of Advocates' advocate Menzi Simelane.
"This is a position that demands first-rate legal competence, an unshakeable sense of justice, absolute integrity, the thickest possible skin, and the courage to withstand immense political pressure.
"This is not a symbolic post. The NDPP must be a proven manager who can turn a large, struggling institution into an effective one," Bernstein said.
She urged the panel to test whether the candidates would be willing and able to prosecute the powerful, and have the determination, experience and capacity to rebuild the NPA and restore public confidence in the rule of law.
Bernstein stated that South Africans were tired of promises.
"…we need someone who can turn the State capture and corruption cases on the books into convictions in court," she said.
Among other questions, she wants the panel to ask candidates why the NPA failed to secure convictions in major State capture cases since the Zondo Commission.
"Is this because proving these kinds of cases is very hard or because of issues or challenges within the NPA itself? What would you do differently?
"What are the most important reasons for the slow pace or lack of success of the cases through the courts? If you were NDPP, what measures would you put in place to accelerate cases and increase your prosecutorial success rate? In answering the question, assume that there is no significant increase in resources for either the police or the NPA," Bernstein said.
She also wants the panel to ask whether the candidates have any concerns about the extent to which the NPA's decisions to prosecute or not to prosecute are being affected by factors other than the merits of the cases.
"Is the NDPP's independence sufficiently secure or are there reforms you would propose to protect prosecutorial independence more?
"Are there any past relationships, roles or affiliations that could raise questions about your independence, and how will you address them?" she proposed asking.
Bernstein said the panel must ask candidates what managerial and institutional changes they would seek to make to the NPA to improve productivity and strengthen the prosecution service.
"These questions go to the heart of whether a candidate is strong enough, independent enough and experienced enough to turn the NPA around. If the panel cannot get clear, convincing answers to questions like these, the country will once again pay a very high price," she cautioned.
She suggested that should none of the candidates be able to answer th...